In the End
by kuramagal
Summary: We’ve played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?
1. Prologue

**In the End  
****Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: ****We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: It's angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if your looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Prologue:**

It started with a bang, and then the whole world was thrown into chaos. Dust and debris were thrown into the air, only to settle down a moment later; like ash from a volcano blanketing what remained. With it came the cries of those trapped in the ruble, and slowly but surely those cries died down, as their owners passed from this world.

The newscaster that day was a fool. He had contributed the disaster to an atomic bombing of some kind. But as my friends and I watched the television set in horror, we realized that the inevitable disaster had happened; Demons had finally overthrown the spirit world, and now had their main target in sight, the human world. Botan had been with us that day, she and the girls had decided to go on a 'little shopping spree,' and had left us with Megumi, Keiko and my five year old and Yuki, Kuwabara and Yukina's four year old. When they returned home Botan was sobbing supported by a pale Shizuru, with Yukina and Keiko trailing behind like lost sheep.

Keiko made a beeline for me. "What…What's going on?" Keiko had asked her large eyes wide with terror as she clutched Megumi to her. For some reason I was reminded of when we were kids. We had been out of the edge of town when she had spotted a small rabbit lying dead in the grass, its little ears limp. Keiko had been so sad and confused, she looked like that again but this time it was different; we weren't little kids anymore. "Yusuke? Please tell me what's going on?" she pleaded, tears running down her cheeks and into the hair of the silent Megumi. My little daughter looked so confused, her brown eyes asked me, _why is mommy crying?_ Oblivious to her child's concern, Keiko continued to cry and I could only shake my head wordlessly at the pair of them. Even I didn't know.

"Koenma!" a wail came from the sobbing ferry girl, who was being comforted by both Shizuru and Kurama. "Koenma!" she cried again, and then with speed I had not given her credit for; she grabbed me by the shirt. "Find him Yusuke!" she shouted, her normally spirited eyes, crazed. "The spirit world!" she wept again. It was after she said that that she caught another glimpse of the television and fell back against Kurama who was trying to guide her away from me.

I looked at my three best friends, all of whom looked as drained and afraid as I felt. No words were spoken between us, they weren't needed. We knew what had to happen, we just didn't want to do it. And so we all stood there, still in my living room making a semicircle around the television.

Then like a spark shot through all of us, we moved for the doorway. I stopped before my hand clasped the handle, I knew what had to happen, so I spoke to the door rather than my best friends. "Someone has to stay with them," I said, my mind supplying me with images of the helpless girls. I heard no movement behind me, no one wanted to stay behind; we wanted to suffer as one. I sighed and making up my mind I turned towards my friend. After all, I was the leader; I had to make this choice.

"Kurama, Kuwabara, Hiei I want all three of you to stay here," at my words they began to protest. "No," I said shortly cutting through their arguments my voice harsher and sharper than I intended. "Kuwabara," I turned to my best friend and meeting his deep eyes "I want you take the girls and get them to Genkai's; she has enough wards around it to protect us for a time." Without giving him a chance to protest I turned my eyes to the wizen green eyes of Kurama.

"Kurama, get your mother and bring her to Genkai's temple, then I need you to find Touya and Jin and have them find the rest of the old gang. We're going to have to create some kind of force to stop them. Hiei," I turned to our final and least predictable friend. "I realize you have no ties to this world, but I'm asking for your help. I need you to join the demons attacking us," I breathed heavily, "I need you to be our spy." Hiei looked shocked by my request.

"Are you trying to create an army, detective?" he asked sharply. Although his voice was sharp, I could hear the shock in it. Clearly he had not been expecting this.

I smiled dryly. "Yeah, you want to enlist?" I asked. My voice was sarcastic enough.

Hiei's response was his traditional 'hn' and then he disappeared. Typical, my mind supplied and noted with some satistfaction that he hadn't said no outright. "See you two at Genkai's," I said to my two remaining friends. Kuwabara and Kurama both nodded curtly to me and set off. And then with a heavy heart I followed suit.

It only took me an hour to reach the spirit world, but what I saw there I had not prepared for. The great looming buildings that once rose above the clouds now were dust at my feet. There was nothing left, and what I could find in the mass of wreckage, left me with little hope that any survived.

As I walked among the wreckage that had once been Rekei, I found something that stopped my heart. In the mess of fire and darkness, I found the one thing that convinced me of their evitable end. They were so small that had I not been looking for something, I wouldn't have even noticed them. But as things were, I could have never missed the two broken pieces of a pacifier that lay in the dirt, destroyed completely.

It was those two pieces that I brought back and showed only to my three closest friends. When I did, not even Hiei could hide his shock and sorrow. For a long time, we sat in silence, no of us able to think of a single positive or uplifting thing to say. Finally, after what seemed like a decade, we all stood and left. I knew I should have said or done something, but sometimes, especially for times like this, there wasn't anything I could say.

To this day, I never told any one what I saw in Rekei. The broken pieces of the pacifier were enough for Kuwabara, if not for the other two. But Kurama and Hiei respected that I refused to speak of it. I knew they still possess great curiosity, for I saw it in their eyes. But it was never breeched again. In fact, the only thing we did say was what I felt they; _we_ needed to come to terms with. That was that, we were alone, with only each other to survive by. But we _would _survive.

And so we've continued. We've played the game of hide and seek well, we've hidden for nearly a year now, yet it seems that everytime we hide we are found, and everytime we run we are pursued. It's the none ending game of hide and seek, only unlike the childhood game of my youth, this one has severe repercussion if we're found.

It happened once, and I won't ever let it happen again. It will not let them find us. I won't let them kill another, never again. They look to me as their leader and no matter how poor of leader I was in the past, I will be one now.

I took me many lessons to learn what a leader truly was. How he should act. What he needed to do, to remember for others. Unfortunately, my lessons were hard ones. And then ended up costing me greatly. This is my story, our story. The story of what I will say is our fight for survival. Our fight together as friends, it's the story of our lessons together.

But first, let me start with my first lesson, which was one of leadership and intellect. Two things, up until then I had left to Kurama.


	2. Chapter One: Learning to Fall

**In the End  
****Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: ****We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: It's angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if your looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Chapter One: Fall**

"Where is he?" Kuwabara asked he was pacing nervously, a habit he had acquired sometime recently. I didn't even glance at him, I just drew another dreg from my cigarette.

About a minute later. "Come on Urameshi, where is he?" Kuwabara pressed again, another puff of smoke. "Urameshi-"

"I don't fucking know!" I shouted, cutting him off midsentence. I threw my cigarette on the ground a stomped out the cinders with my foot. Why did everyone always ask me? Why did everyone _keep_ asking me what to do? The hell if I knew! All I fucking knew was that Kurama had told us he'd met us here, and _he_ wasn't here! This wasn't my god damn problem!

"Come on, Urameshi, where is he?"

I swear had Kurama not chosen that moment to magically appear, I would have beat the shit out of Kuwabara. At this time I didn't care that we were low on men, anything to get him to shut up. Kuwabara was one lucky bastard; he was safe, for now.

I spared a glance at my other friend. Kurama was running towards us, his chest heaving. I raised my hand to wave to him, but it quickly dropped to my side when I saw his face. He looked so serious, as though he knew something dreadful something that was tearing him apart internally. For the first time since this whole ordeal began I noticed how thin he'd become. The Kurama I knew had always been on the slight side. Even during the Dark Tournament he'd been thin, but now he looked practically emaciated. Truthfully, I would have liked to dwell on that train of thought, maybe even rebuke him for not eating enough or at the least for being late, but I never got my chance.

As Kurama came running towards us, one of the building on his left shifted. Kurama paused ever so slightly to look. And instantly I knew he was in trouble. Then, without warning, the building beside him creaked ominously and began to topple.

There was nothing we or Kurama could have done, and I think he knew that because a second before it collapsed on top of him, Kurama looked at us. His expression, as always, was unreadable. Then, as quickly as it had come, he looked away and brought his arms up to protect himself, just as the rumble crashed on top of him.

"Kurama!" The name came from both Kuwabara and my mouth too late. It shattered the silence, and forever imprinted the image of Kurama helplessly being crushed under the weight of the debris. For a moment Kuwabara and I stood mesmerized as pure horror and terror took control of our minds and bodies as we began to comprehend the situation. In those seconds we could only watch in horror as the dust coiled in the air, making a seemingly impenetrable barrier. It tied our tongues, minds and bodies. And then as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and in its place panic set in.

Kuwabara and I both dove at the pile of debris at the same time, cursing everything and digging into it desperately. We paid little attention to the cuts and the lacerations that began to scar our hands and arms as metal, wood and brick tore into our almost shirtless bodies. We just kept digging. It was like a lifeline for us, so long as we could dig, so long as we were doing something, anything, then we didn't have to think about it. Think that we might loose him, that at this very moment we might be standing on him. That thought alone scared the shit out of me. I couldn't handle the possibility that I might be killing Kurama in the process of trying to save him. That it wouldn't be the debris, but my own body weight that crushed him. That thought alone stole the air from my lungs.

It took us ten agonizing minutes, until finally my hands found something warm and sticky. At first I paid it little heed, but when it stuck to my finger tips and tinted them red I realized what I had to be. Blood… It was on the wooden board in front of me, it was dripping from the wiring next the board. Kurama's blood was everywhere.

Like a madman I began to shove aside the boards and pieces of debris until my hand found another, resting between pieces of wood and a brick. I grabbed the hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I've got you," I promised hoarsely, "I'm going to get you out of here! Kuwabara!" I shouted, "He's here!"

I don't think I've ever seen Kuwabara move that fast. He was by my side in a second. We began to quickly clear away the rubble from where the hand stuck up. Soon we had uncovered the rest of his arm and up to his shoulder. When we moved a huge board his face came into view.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw him. Kurama's eyes were closed and his face was whiter than the first snow. Blood was running from his nose and mouth and a deep gash in his forehead was trickling blood into his eyes, and for a second my body froze.

Kuwabara's voiced pulled me from my frozen state. "Is he…?" Kuwabara whispered, his voice hoarse with agony at our discovery. Fearing the worst, I thrust my fingertips onto his neck and felt for his pulse. I waited a long time, frantically feeling for something, anything that would let me know my friend was alive.

I was just about to give up when my fingers detected a faint thump beneath my friend's milky skin. "Kuwabara, he's alive!" I shouted, releasing the breathe I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"Dig out his other shoulder!" I yelled, and then to Kurama I said, "I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be okay."

I knew he wasn't able to hear me, but I needed to reassure him … or really, I needed to reassure myself.

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara's panicked voice got my attention.

"What?" I turned and saw what had Kuwabara so panicked, and when I did I felt bile rise up in my throat. When Kuwabara removed a relatively weightless board, a large metal beam that was pinning Kurama to the rest of the rubble was revealed. The offensive piece of metal ran directly over his right shoulder and pinned him into the wreckage.

"Urameshi…" Kuwabara whispered and then trailed off.

"I know! Shit!" I cursed, and then I maneuvered myself over to the beam. It was solid steel and heavier than hell. Nevertheless, I knew we were being watched over. Had it been farther to the left, it would have killed him. As things were, it had missed Kurama's head by millimeters. That didn't matter right now though; all I cared about was getting my friend the hell out of there.

"Kuwabara," I said as I reached under the beam, gripping it tightly. "I'm going to lift this, and I need you to drag him away from it as fast as possible. But don't jar him, you got it?"

The taller man nodded and then put one arm under Kurama good shoulder and another around his ribs. Then, using all the strength I possessed, I heaved the beam up. Kuwabara quickly and smoothly moved our injured friend and I set the beam down with a jarring thud. Not missing a beat, I bent over to check Kurama's shoulder.

His collar bone was definitely broken. That wasn't hard to deduce, as I could see the bloody bone popping through his skin. However, I couldn't tell if anything else had been injured by the beam's weight. To my untrained eye, the area appeared to be relatively uninjured. But I wasn't sure. Even so, I considered him lucky as hell. Had the beam fallen at any other angle, he would have lost his arm.

After the beam, removing Kurama from the rest of the rubble was easy, and together we got him out of it quickly. Once we pried the last beams and other items off of him and pulled him from the wreckage, we half-carried, half-dragged him from the ruins. Then, together, we both began to access his injures.

Things didn't look good. There was a deep gash in his forehead from which blood was pouring freely. The blood had flowed into his red hair, and the two matted and formed a brilliant combination of color. His white shirt, aside from where his clavicle was poking through, was speckled with blood and darkened with soot.

When I removed it, I saw that his chest was beginning to bruise, and there was bloody spot on his chest from where one his broken ribs had popped through. I felt panic rise up in my own chest. Who knew what unseen wounds were hidden under all of that bruising? _Internal bleeding. _Those two words formed in my mind.

No, I thought, shoving the offending thought aside, not him. I had seen too many people die from that. I forced my eyes away from his chest and downward. I didn't have to look far, I saw that his right femur bone jutted out at a strange angle. _Broken, _my mind prompted. I was just finishing my assessments when a weak cough caught my attention. My eyes roved up, to see Kurama's eyes move under his lids. And then without warning, they opened wide.

A second after they opened, Kurama's eyes filled with so much pain and fright that I almost winced at the sight of them. It was apparent that he was disoriented, because his green eyes were looking frantically around him and his breathing was becoming gasps of panic. "Kurama," I murmured, putting a hand on his heaving chest. "You're safe and you're going to be alright. Can you hear me?" I asked him moving my hand up to touch his ashen face. His eyes searched for my face and stopped only when my brown eyes met his jade ones.

The second our eyes met, I nearly had to look away. Never in my history of knowing him had I ever seen such agony in those jade depths. Neither at the Dark Tournament or the Demon Tournament, and those times I had seen him at his weakest moments. My mouth dry, I asked. "Can you hear me?"

Kurama blinked once before nodding weakly to me. It would have been unperceptive had I not been looking for it. Before my eyes, his face was slowly becoming more and more gray. A fresh wave of panic began to set in for me, for I knew these symptoms. The shock was setting in. I'd seen it several times before. We had to get him out of here!

While I was thinking about that, Kurama decided to do something that was incredibly stupid and so un-Kurama-like that even years later I would still be trying to understand it. He tried to sit up.

The second his back moved from the ground, his body tensed and he clenched his teeth. Then, with a whimper of agony that tore through my emotional shields, he fell back and rolled onto his side. Thankfully it was his left side, so he wasn't lying on his badly injured shoulder. Nevertheless, I could hear his sharp breaths as he tried to combat the pain from whatever injury he'd strained. In a moment of compassion, I reached out a hand to his cheek, only to find it covered in tears. Kurama was crying?

"Hey buddy," I said, gripping his good hand, which was slick with blood. Kurama's eyes once more found mine. Their green depths looked into mine, begging for a reprieve, for anything to end the pain, for death, none of which I could give him. But I couldn't just leave him with nothing. "Everything's going to be alright. We've got you," I reassured him. It was then that I realized that Kurama was struggling to speak. So I leaned my head in toward him.

"M-my ba-ack," he murmured weakly, over and over again. Puzzled, I gently rolled him over, and it soon became very clear why he wanted to sit up. In his back was a piece of metal, embedded deep into the skin of his upper back. Once I had seen it, I looked at Kurama, who mouthed one more thing. "Re-mo-ve i-it," he whispered and then his eyes shut. His breathing was still harsh, so I knew he hadn't slipped from consciousness, at least not yet.

My mouth dry, I turned to my other friend. "Kuwabara, brace his shoulders. And don't let him fucking move, or he'll injure himself more," I told my friend, who took Kurama into his arms and began to murmur soft words to the injured fox demon. I then turned my attention to the semi-conscious Kurama. "I'm going to pull it out Kurama. Try to relax, I'll do this as fast as possible," I promised. Kurama didn't respond, but nevertheless I took his good hand and squeezed it. I might have imagined it, but I'm pretty sure I felt a weak squeeze back.

Saying a prayer to whoever was listening, I gripped the metal which was slick with Kurama's blood. Then as carefully and quickly as I could, I pulled the offending shard from my friend's back. Kurama's body tried to arch away from my hand and the metal shard, but with his weakened state and Kuwabara holding him, he barely moved an centimeter.

When the pointed edge of the piece of the metal finally came out of my friend's skin, I breathed a sigh of relief and then tossed the piece as far from myself as possible. Then, with gentleness I never thought I could possess, I applied a bandage to Kurama's back. "It's done," I murmured to him while I bound the injury. "No more, just rest now."

"Urameshi," Kuwabara whispered, as he cradled Kurama's broken body against himself. "He's unconscious, I think," the taller man told me in a hushed tone.

I nodded. "Good, I'm glad. I would have knocked him out myself if his body hadn't done it for him. Moving him, had he been conscious, would have been too much for him to bear."

Kuwabara nodded, and then, after I finished bandaging Kurama's back, the tall man gently lifted the battered body of our friend. And we began to walk back to our shelter. A little way into our trip, Kuwabara spoke up. "He's so light. He's gotten so thin." Kuwabara's voice held more remorse than I've ever heard in it.

I nodded, it was true. I'd seen him skip several meals. Each of those meals had either gone to one of the women (many times one of our friends) or to a child. Like little Megumi or little Yuki. If truth was to be told, I hadn't seen Kurama eat in a long time. "He hasn't been eating for a long time, but when we get him back to the girls, he's going to," I said, suddenly feeling so angry with myself. "I'm going to make sure that everyone will be fed. I don't care if it kills me; I won't let anymore people starve." I was so caught up in my anger that I almost didn't feel the soft bump against my side.

When I looked, I saw Kuwabara standing there, his arms full of Kurama's lifeless form and his eyes shadowed from my view. "Yusuke," he murmured. I was shocked; he used my real name. "Don't blame yourself for this. It will only upset Kurama. You know you two are a lot alike," he said with a weak smile. Then he grew more serious than I ever remember. "Besides, he's not the only one who has gone without food. When was the last time you ate something?"

I wanted to respond, to tell him that I had eaten. But the problem was that he would have seen through any lie I had thrown at him. Because we both knew we both hadn't eaten much of anything in a few days. "I'm the leader," I said, pleading with him, trying to make him understand.

I was spared my answer by a gasp. Turning, I realized we had arrived back at the shelter, and there, waiting for us, were Yukina, Keiko and the two little ones. Yukina immediately ran towards us. Behind her I could hear Keiko ushering Yuki and Megumi back into the shelter, as they shouted and cried for Kurama.

Suddenly my eyes filled with tears. Megumi and Yuki were so young, so innocent. And they loved Kurama so much. He was their dear uncle, the person who told them stories, who kept them warm and feed. I shook myself; I didn't have the luxury of crying now. They needed me, Kurama needed me, Yukina needed me. I couldn't act like this.

"Come on," I growled, "Let's get him inside." Kuwabara, Yukina and I carefully transported Kurama to the medic center in the shelter. I was relieved to see that it was relatively empty today, and so Yukina made a space for Kurama in a relatively secure and enclosed area.

As Kuwabara laid Kurama on the thin futon, Kurama suddenly turned his head to the side and began to cough. "Sit him up," Yukina ordered, Kuwabara and I did so. When the fit passed, we laid him down again and Yukina jumped up and began to grab medical supplies.

"I need Keiko," Yukina said as she rushed around, grabbing bandages and the like. Kuwabara jumped up.

"I'll get her," he said quickly as he exited the room, in search of my wife. Meanwhile, I filled Yukina in on the injuries I believed Kurama to have sustained.

"So many?" she asked, as she wrung a cloth and placed in on his forehead. "I don't know how-" she stopped mid-sentence, but I knew what she was going to say. It wasn't hard to deduce. Yukina paused, her eyes wide when she realized what her words meant. She was faltering, and I couldn't let that happen; Kurama's life was still on the line. So I did the only thing I could think of. I changed to subject.

"Has Hiei arrived back yet?" I asked his petite sister, trying to get her back on track.

It worked. As soon as I asked, she began to assess Kurama's badly injured body, trying to decide which of his numerous injuries she should focus on. "Yes," Yukina didn't look up at me; she was too focused on Kurama. Her hands, drenched in Kurama's blood, hovered over his badly broken femur bone. "He arrived only moments before you. I'm sure he'll be here momentarily." Just as she finished speaking, her brother entered the room.

"Yukina, what is this news I've been hearing about – Kurama!" Hiei flew forward as he spotted his best friend lying on one of the palettes, battered beyond belief. Hiei then turned to me, "What happened to him? Who did this?"

Hiei's voice was so raw and sorrowful that I couldn't answer him. When I finally found my voice, I responded, "It was falling debris, he was distracted."

"Distracted?" Hiei's voice was hollow and then it became angry, "Kurama doesn't get 'distracted', detective. Kurama is a _demon_, he doesn't get fucking distracted!" Hiei seethed, turning his anger on me.

Although I knew the anger wasn't meant towards me, that it was Hiei's only way of showing care, I still found my rage boiling. Like a pot that had been left on boil for too long, and I knew that if I didn't check it soon, it was going to bubble over. "I know he's a demon, Hiei. But he's also pushed himself to the limit both physically and mentally. He hasn't eaten in a few days, and unlike our bodies, his is a _human _body."

Hiei didn't answer me; instead he took Kurama's hand. When he got no response, he turned to Yukina. "Will you be able to heal him?" The fire demon asked. I was surprised, I knew that Kurama and Hiei regarded each other as the demon equivalent of friends, but I had never seen Hiei care like this.

Yukina looked down at Kurama's injured body. "I think so," she whispered tentatively, "But not all today, I don't have the strength to heal so many injuries," she mumbled. It was then that we both noticed how weak she appeared. Yukina may have been an amazing healer, but even she had her limits.

"I will continue for as long as I can, but I don't know how much more I can do. Touya's injuries were also severe; I gave him so much energy. I … I don't know how much more I have." she said uncertainly. Suddenly her sweet face filled with resolve, "But I will continue for as long as I can."

Yukina raised her hands over Kurama's femur, but suddenly a voice spoke up. "No," the voice, weak and fading, said. All of our eyes turned to see the subject of Yukina's care grab her hand. "No," Kurama said again, this time more forcefully. "You can't. Not in your condition, you'll kill yourself!" Kurama protested with as much vehemence as possible in the state he was in.

Yukina shook her head. "I won't leave you like this Kurama," she said with forcefulness that I've never heard in her voice. "If I don't do anything you will die. I'm _not_ going to let that happen!" Then against Kurama's wishes, she began pouring her energy into his body.

I watched, mystified, as Kurama's injuries began to heal before my eyes. No matter how many times I'd seen this before, watching someone be healed was like watching them be born again. However, just as the injuries we're beginning to make progress, the energy faltered and Yukina fell backwards into Hiei's arms, breathing like she had run a marathon.

At about the same time, Keiko and Kuwabara returned. "Oh my!" Keiko murmured, kneeling beside Yukina. The tiny ice apparition smiled at her longtime friend.

"Bandage his wounds, Keiko," she murmured, "Do what you can for him. Please finish what I started," she finished just as she slipped into unconsciousness. Kuwabara then reached down for his wife.

"Here Hiei, let me take her. She needs to rest," Kuwabara said, extending his arms. Reluctantly, Hiei allowed Kuwabara to take Yukina, then the tall man disappeared once more from the room.

When I looked back at Kurama, I found Keiko gently tending to him. Though Yukina had healed the most life-threatening injures, ones like his collar bone and broken leg still would require attention. "Kurama," Keiko said to the semi-conscious fighter, "I'm going to give you a shot of this." She indicated the syringe in her hand. Kurama nodded mutely. "It will give you a dreamless sleep."

In my mind, I don't think that Kurama cared what type of sleep he received, so long as he didn't have to feel any pain. Keiko injected the needle into Kurama's neck and inserted the contents. After a few moments, Kurama's breathing slowed and his eyelids dropped closed. Then we were free to proceed.

"Yusuke, I want you and Hiei to splint his leg," Keiko ordered. I nodded. I had splinted my fair share of bones during this past month. Hiei and I both knew too well how to splint any appendage on the human or demon body. "I'm going to set his shoulder," Keiko murmured, more for herself than us.

We both set to our tasks. Hiei and I got off easy. So long as we closed our minds to the fact that it was Kurama's leg we were jerking back into place, the job was easy. Yukina's energy had already put the bone back together; we only had to put the splints on tight enough. It was Keiko who had the difficult task.

Yukina's energy had not managed to reach up that high before it had depleted and Keiko knew that should she not get the bones together correctly, Kurama would loose the ability to use his right arm, his dominate one. I could see sweat beading on her forehead as she shoved the bones into place in what I prayed was the correct way, and then we aided her by lifting Kurama's back off the ground so she could bind the injured shoulder together. She finished her ministration by putting Kurama's arm in a cloth sling, to further hamper any movement and strain on his injury.

"What about his ribs?" I asked Keiko.

Keiko gave me an uncertain look. "No, I think we should ice them first, to decrease the swelling. Then later we can bind them, when he wakes. But as he is now, breathing combined with ice on them will help him," she said, sounding sure enough. "In about an hour we'll bind them. By then the ice packs should decrease the swelling." Keiko laid a few rags with ice wrapped in them around Kurama's body. She then secured them with a loose binding. When that was finished, she sat back on her heels and then leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Megumi was so worried," she murmured tiredly, "She though he was gone … I almost did as well," Keiko confessed as a tear trickled down her face.

I pulled her close. "No," I said, "Kurama wouldn't leave us like that. He's too stubborn to do that."

"I was so afraid," Keiko mumbled, her head buried in my chest.

"Hn, Kurama is too honorable to do that, Keiko," Hiei reassured my wife. I looked at him with gratefulness and shock. He'd never said Keiko's name before.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes when suddenly something dawned on me. "Has anyone let his mother know?" I asked sitting up suddenly. My wife and friend both looked back at me. The silence was stifling. "Someone needs to tell her," I continued heavily.

"I'll go," Keiko volunteered. "One mother to another is best," she added gently. I nodded to her and then she rose and exited the room.

For a few moments Hiei and I just sat there, neither of us wanting or daring to say anything. Suddenly Hiei's deep baritone broken the silence. "The preparations are finished. We can proceed when you're ready."

* * *

Here's another of my grossly angst Yu Yu Hakusho stories. Hell, I didn't realize how much I missed writing about these guys. 

Kuramagal: _Gives Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara a big hug! _I missed you!

Yusuke: We sure as hell didn't miss you!

Kurama: OW! My ribs!

Kuramagal: Oops!

Hiei: Baka girl! g_rabs katana_

Kuramagal: Now you put that down … or you're next on my list! _Pulls out a pad of paper_ Now what kind of Hiei torture should I participate in? _looks thoughtfully at her prey_

Hiei: Damn…

Kuramagal: Anyway, please review as that feeds my inner demon and helps me write! Oh the next chapter should be out … soon … honestly that word is really meaningless to me! _Looks at reviewers with weaponry in their hands_ Okay I'm typing!!!! _Starts typing like a madwoman._

Thanks all!

Kuramagal


	3. Chapter Two: To Lead

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you're looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Chapter Two: Leader**

For a few moments,Hiei and I just sat there, neither of us wanting or daring to say anything. Suddenly, Hiei's deep baritone brokethe silence. "The preparations are finished. We can proceed when you're ready."

"Already?" I questioned, turning from the still body of my red-haired friend to look at the red eyes of my other friend. It was startling, actually. For as much as Kurama and Hiei had in common, both being cunning and ruthless, they were drastically different. With Kurama, I sometimes forgot his demon heritage. I know he allowed this to happen on purpose. To be frank it was his greatest weapon, his ability to lure someone into a false sense of security. Hiei didn't posses this weapon. If anything he exemplified the cruelness that came from being a demon with every move he made and every word he spoke. Kurama had learned to assimilate into the human world; Hiei had not. It was the crucial difference between them,and because of that it defined them as individuals.

Hiei nodded, his red eyes watching me in a calculating way, trying to determine my thoughts. "Yes." His voice was neutral. "The plans are all laid out. We are just waiting for your command."

I bit my lip. Here it was, another choice I would have to make, another thing I would be responsible for. "I see," I replied, trying to be like him, to be neutral. I wasn't successful. Hiei, who had survived by being able to read his opponent saw through my hesitation. He observed, with quiet calculation, the look of panic at on my face as this decision tumbled through my mind. Only when he fully understood my thoughts did he confronted me.

"Yusuke." At his word, I dropped my gaze to my lap and refused to make eye contact with him. "This decision has to be made soon."Hiei's voice sounded sure, and I hated knowing how very right he was. Yet for all that truth, I still could not find it in me to look him in the eyes. Hiei soon fixed that problem. Before I could so much as blink an eye, he sent a fist flying at my face.

It was hard and jolting, and before I could stop myself, my eyes met his, a look of shock on my face. Yet in that brief second that our eyes met, I saw the answers to all my questions and worries. I saw my fears in his eyes assuaged. And even with all of this reassurance, I still looked away once more.

Hiei wouldn't have that, though. "Look at me, damn it or I'll hit you again." It wasn't an empty threat. I knew he didn't believe in not carrying through with his promises, but that wasn't the reason I looked up before.

The real reason was that when I had glanced at him before, even though it had been only briefly, I saw my greatest concern confronted in his eyes. And that was the fear of losing him, of losing anyone. I may have been a good leader in the aspect that I could look out for my own, that I was loyal and true to them, that I would protect them with my life, but when it came to sacrificing one of them, even if it were for the greater good of all the rest, I couldn't.

It was the answer to this that I saw in Hiei's eyes. In them, I saw the acceptance of his fate, of what could and most likely would happen to him if he embarked on this mission. It was something he couldn't have expressed any other way. It was those eyes that reassured me, that told me that he accepted this.

I was speechless. Hiei scowled. "Stupid human! What has happened to you?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation. Yet I saw it once again in his eyes – he understood.

I smiled. "Nothing, Three-Eyes," I replied cockily. This was the way it had to be; we both knew that. Hiei had accepted what had to happen, but I had been holding on, trying to find an alternate way. It was only now that I realized that by trying to avoid the inevitable, I was just spinning my wheels, wasting time and energy.

"Hn."Hiei glared at me. Suddenly the glare fell from his face and he turned his head towards the hall. "They're coming back." Bewildered but following suit, I too turned to the door, which promptly opened to reveal my tense looking wife and Kurama's haggard mother.

Life as a refugee had not been kind to Shiori, physically or emotionally. Her once thick black hair was streaked with grey, and her once nearly invisible wrinkles had deepened and become more prominent. She was a shell of the person I remembered from the infrequent visits I made to Kurama's house as a teen. Yet she still survived. And with one purpose, and now that purpose lay, almost fatally injured, before her.

I watched as her face paled several shade upon identifying her only child on the thin pallet. She fell to her knees beside the mat and reached for his hand. Tears coursing down her dirty cheeks as she begged for him to wake up.

"Shuichi," she murmured, the tears slipping down her cheeks unchecked. "Shuichi." Upon getting no response, she turned to Keiko. "Why isn't he waking?" she demanded, her anger boiling over in her fear.

"I gave him a sedative for the pain," Keiko murmured, slowly kneeling next to the terrified mother. "It's helping him get the healing sleep he needs." She took Kurama's hand from Shiori's small ones and placed it back on the pallet at the injured fighter's side. "He needs rest now, but when he wakes, I will come get you so you can talk to him. Is that okay?"

Shiori nodded,unable to speak through her tears, and Keiko pulled her into an embrace. Hiei and I watched in complete silence as the young mother comforted the older one.There was nothing either of us could say to take away the pain, and so there was nothing we needed to say.

When the embrace was finally over, Shiori slowly dragged her aged body to her feet and dusted herself off. She looked at Kurama, her face a mix of emotions "Shouldn't cry…Shuichi needs me to be strong," she murmured to herself. Then, in a louder and stronger voice, she asked, "Where is that healer the small, pretty one? Couldn't she help Shuichi?"

Hiei was the first to speak. "My sister tried to help him. She was too low on energy and couldn't help him much."

Suddenly, Keiko spoke up. "Shiori, Yusuke was just going to get Genkai, the elderly healer, to aid in healing Shuichi." Yusuke looked at his wife; he was going to do what? "If you come back later he should be able to talk with you

Shiori nodded, her eyes trained on her son. "Yes," she said distractedly. "I need to go tell Shuichi-kun about his brother. He would want to know. They were always close," the woman continued mumbling to herself, then she left the room.

Keiko watched Shiori's retreating back, watching as though she wanted to follow, but she shook her head and then turned back to both of us. "I'll stay here with Kurama," she offered. "You two need to get some rest or food, perhaps even both."

Hiei huffed. "I'm going to see Yukina." With a whip of his cloak, he was gone.

I turned to my bride. "I'm going to see, Genkai am I?" I asked her teasingly.

Keiko sighed. "I had to tell her something. However," she paused, "Genkai's Spirit Wave technique might help him, Yusuke."

I nodded. It was true. Genkai's Spirit Wave had healed many of us over the years. "How much longer till he wakes?" I asked her gently.

Keiko glanced back at Kurama, her face carefully blank. "A couple of hours maybe three or four. The sedative should wear off by then." She didn't sound pleased about that.

"And what about after that?" I pressed, sensing the negativity in her tone.

Keiko turned her soft brown eyes on me. "Then," she began, her voice just above a whisper, "he will be in more pain than I think either of us can comprehend." She sighed sadly. "And I don't have a painkiller strong enough to combat it, not without overdosing him, and with the amount of blood he's lost ..." She trailed off.

"He'll die, right?" I finished her unspoken thought. Keiko looked at me and nodded. "Damn it!" I cursed. Then I turned towards the door. "I'm going to get Genkai."

"We'll be here waiting," she said as she took Kurama's limp hand into her own.

"I'll be back," I whispered, then I shut the door behind me. I didn't know where I was going to go. Genkai could be just about anywhere. All I knew was that I couldn't stay in that room any longer. I couldn't look at Kurama's comatose body for another second. It was just too unnerving. There had only been two instances where I remember Kurama being this vulnerable. The first had been during his fight with Karasue, the second when he fought Shigure during the demon tournament.

That last time,I had been sure that Kurama had died. I knew that,in his human form,he was much weaker, but I didn't realize the extent to which it was true. It hadn't looked like he was going to pull through that fight.I remember thinking about all the things I would do to Yomi if that had happened. Nothing against Mukuro, but I didn't harbor the same hatred towards her that I did towards Yomi. That stupid son-of-a-bitch had dragged Kurama back to the Demon World, and forced him to drag Touya and Jin and all the rest back with him.

I paused for a moment and looked down the long,dark hallway. Both Yomi and Mukuro had died when the demons took over Makai and the Spirit World. They had both been found and killed. From what Hiei had gathered for me, the leaders of the movement against the Rekai hadn't wanted any opposition. Especially someone like Mukuro or Yomi, who had enough strength and popularity to raise and army.

As much as I disliked Yomi, I never wanted him to die the way he had. According to my spy, Yomi had been tortured and beaten publicly in front of crowds of demons that once called him leader. Then they had taking him along with Shura, his only child, to a private 'ceremony' wherethose same demons had him executed. Shura wouldn't tell me how, but I know that, however it was done,it had permanently seared itself into the young demon's mind.

As far as how Shura had come to be with us, Hiei received a tip that Shura would be next on the executioners' list, so he planned an escape for the former prince. I'm not quite sure how he did it or what it entailed,but the next thing I knew, Hiei returned to our base, a stunned and completely mute Shura beside him.

Shura hasn't spoken of his father or the incident to this day, not that he speaks much at all. In fact the only person he's ever truly had a conversation with is my wife. Keiko, my darling and perfect bride, took him under her wing and raised him along with our daughter. Shura is loyal to Keiko above all else; he would do anything for her. I found that he was even willing to die for her. Once, the barriers around our compound had been breached,and demons began pouring in like water at a dam. Keiko had been out with the children on the perimeter when the attack had first happened. From what other witnesses say, Shura had jumped in front of her and the children and challenged the three A-classdemons by himself.

By the time my friends and I had reached the site of the attack, Shura wasbadly wounded, yet he still stood his ground against them. I have never doubted his loyalty to us since. He has proved himself many times as a capable leader and has lead many raids for food and supplies. I trust him as I do my friends. "Yusuke!" A voice I knew well interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see both Jin and Touya rushing towards me. Touya's arm was bound tightly to his body by a cloth sling.

"Yusuke!" Touya said once more, his normally impassive face tense with worry.

"Hey guys," I said wearily."Have you seen Genkai anywhere."

Both looked at one another."No. The last I saw of her, she was at Sector B, but that was about an hour ago," Touya offered and then his ice blue eyes got serious."Yusuke, is it true?"

It took me a moment to think about what they were talking about. "Yes," I finally responded heavily. "It's true.I just left him."

Touya and Jin glance at one another once more. "How?" Jin asked. The wind master's face looked so strange without his trademark smile. I know I should have been used to it by now – after all he hadn't truly smiled in a long time –but it was like my whole predicament; I couldn't get used to it.

"He was crushed by falling debris – a whole building,to be honest. Yukina tried to alleviate his pain to her best ability but she was low on energy." At my words, I saw Touya subconsciously clench his injured arm. It was then that realization hit me. I wanted to shootmyself. Of course that's why Yukina hadn't had energy because Touya had been injured. Damn it! I looked at the ice master's face. Touya's face was taunt and looked as though he felt miserable. "Aside from that," I added hastily, mainly for his benefit. "she thinks that he will heal. It will just take awhile."

Jin glanced between both Touya and I and then replied, "Well, that's a-okay then, right?" Though he attempted his normal cheerful demeanor, it was obvious that he wasn't in the mood.

Touya nodded, then he looked at me, "Yusuke, I-"

I cut him off. "No, Kurama's going to be fine." It was then at I truly looked at him. He appeared exhausted; his once sinewy frame had been reduced to a far bonier appearance, and his previously alert eyes were shadowed with pain. He stood before me,not the ninja he was, but an injured and pale figure whomI barely recognized. "What happened to you?" I asked, realizing how two-sided my question was.

Touya refused to look at my eyes, but in what for him would have been a cheerful tone,he said, "I'm fine.I just injured my shoulder. I should heal in a couple of days."

I nodded, not believing a word of it. "Good.I'm glad you're going to be okay," I said,gently clasping his good shoulder. "Anyway, Kurama should be awake in a few hours, but if you wanted to look in on him now, I think that would be all right." I needed a way of getting Jin alone.Touya obviously wasn't all right, but I needed to know just how severe the damage truly was.

Touya nodded, oblivious to my plans. "I think that would be a good." He turned to head down the hallway. Jin followed suit, but I grabbed his arm before he got far. He turned, his eyes puzzled, but almost as quickly as it had come,it vanished and was replaced with understanding. He may have not known what I wanted to talk to him about, but he knew the look in my eyes

"Uh Touya," the ice master turned at the mentioning of his name, "I need to stay here w'th Yusuke, gotta talk with him something. Be with ya in a moment," the wind master told his friend.

Touya looked unsure. "I can wait," he offered, turning back towards us.

"Nah, you go ahead," I said waving him onward."What I have to say will be brief." Touya looked between the two of us for a moment. I was sure he was going to argue and demand to know what was going on, but he didn't. He just shrugged with his uninjured shoulder and continued down the hallway as though nothing was the matter. When he was out of earshot,I turned to Jin. "What really happened to him?" I asked, my voice hushed and serious.

Jin's equally serious eyes looked into mine. "He fell."

"What?!" Touya fall? Impossible! Touya possessed as much balance as Kurama did, perhaps more when Kurama wasn't in his demon form. How could someone as graceful as Touya fall? "Explain," I stated flatly.

"Maybe I should be correct myself. He was pushed, and then he fell, off one of the older building. We were fightin' against two A-classdemons, we were, and got separated. Anyway, the next time I see him, he had run his sword through his demon and was coming to help me. That's when the demon he'd run through shot a blast of energy at him which threw him off the building's edge.

"I made quick work of my demon, and then found him below. He was a mess, all bloody and stuff; but the worst of it all was his arm. It looked like he tried to catch himself, but couldn't. All the bones were outta place, and his shoulder was dislocated too.Yukina didn't know if she could heal him,it was so bad," Jin finished softly. He looked away.

I took Jin's arm and nodded. "Thank you." Jin looked up at me puzzled, but then he smiled. There were no words exchanged between us. There wasn't a need. Jin knew that I was thanking him for more than just telling me about Touya. I was thanking him for remaining with us, even though the demon's side was far easier to join. For protecting all of us when he could have been looking out for himself. Jin accepted all of this, and more importantly,his eyes told me this is what he truly wanted. And that was all I could have asked from him.

"No sweat, Urameshi,and now ifyou'll be excusin' me, I should be getting after Touya. Can't trust that guy, you know. Got himself falling off of things. Can't be too careful." The wind master smiled and then,as he followed the path that his friend had taken moments ago,he said, "Be seeing ya later, Urameshi." Then with a wave,he was gone.

I nodded.Jin was right – you couldn't be too careful, especially when it came to your friends. That's why I had chosen this location, when Genkai's temple provedtoo vulnerable. The most recent of our fortresses waspart of an earlier subway project that the government had abandoned. It was a good choice in a number of ways. Then again,it had been Kurama who'd picked it out, so that wasn't too surprising.)

It was easy to defend, as it was underground and itsopenings, thoughmany, were hard to spot. There was plenty of space to hide people as well as space for living. Furthermore, it covered the entire city,making it easy for us to transport both people and things to where we needed them, without being seen. It was the perfect base for us.

And yet the most vivid memories I had were those from Genkai's temple, before it was overrun. I could still remember the first time my whole team had finally met up there.

_There was still a thick layer of smoke that filled the air. Its only purpose, it seemed, was to hide the inhabitants of Genkai's temple from my view and further add confusion to this whole situation. I shoved a frantic woman to the side as I tried to wade my way through the sea of people that had all somehow__managed to find Genkai's temple. I was amazed at the gathered crowd, so far about a hundred or so people milled about on the sacred ground and that number was rapidly growing._

_These people were vastly different. Some were dressed in business suits while others wore the clothing of fishermen and labors. However all possessed that same frightened anxiety about them that caused me to pity them. They weren't me and my friends. They didn't deserve this fear._

_As much as I pitied them, yet they were still pissing me off by getting in my way.__I shoved another person out of my way, and saw a group of police officers trying to calm a mob that was rapidly growing. I shook my head bemused as so all these people had got her, it had only been a few days since I'd returned from Rekei, but during that time it seemed like half of the city had come here. Or at least, those who had survived. _

_The city had been in near ruins when I'd returned from my search for Koenma. Buildings, houses, roads, you name it, all was in utter ruin. Just thinking of it now makes my blood go cold. I shook my head, now wasn't the time, I thought. I continued my trek around the perimeter of Genkai's temple. Because of the masses, it was nearly impossible for me to find my friends and family in the heaps of people._

_I had nearly made a full circle around the compound when I spotted a small cluster of relatively calm looking people. Looking closer at them I realize that these people could only be one group, my friends._

_Shoving a few more people out of my way, I hurried over to them. Keiko greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and an embrace to tight, I thought she was never going to let go. When she finally released me from her clutches my gaze fell on my friends, all of whom watched me with eagle eyes. It was then that I remembered where I had gotten back from._

_A tour around the city, it was a tour for supplies and survivors. It hadn't proved fruitful, as I could only bring back so much at once. I refused to let anyone accompany me. Kurama and Kuwabara needed to stay help guard the temple, and Hiei had yet to return from his trip. I sighed. It had been three days since the initial attack and also three days since I'd made my detrimental trip to the Rekai. It had been two since I'd shown Kuwabara and Kurama the one relic I took back from the Rekai's ruins, Koenma's pacifier. Their reactions were as I predicted hushed silence and tearful anger. I was funny because that was actually how I felt._

_I reached back into my ratty pack and from it pulled out a loaf of bread, handing it to Keiko who stood the closest to me, I said in a low voice, "Give my share to Yuki and Megumi." It was an order. Keiko knew that, and so she did argue. I looked around part of my mind checking on our group. It was then I noticed someone was missing. "Where is Botan?" The last I'd seen of the now silent ferry girl, she'd been sobbing her eyes out on Yukina's shoulder. Now as I looked around for her I began to fear the worst._

_Yukina looked down at her feet. "She was hysterical. We couldn't talk a word of sense into her. So Genkai took her inside the temple and had her lay down.__That's what she's doing right now," Yukina explained. "She was so upset, poor girl. She couldn't stop crying."_

_I nodded.__I would speak with her later, but right now, I needed to talk with Kurama and Kuwabara. After Keiko handed out the bread and they both received their share, I pulled them over to the side. "We need to do something about these people." My eyes roved over the masses of people that seemed to triple since I last left._

"_Agreed." Kurama firm voice rang out in the smoky air. "But how?"_

"_I…I don't know yet." I smiled. "I was hoping you'd have an idea."_

_Kurama shook his head. "No, I'm afraid my mind is void of any useful suggestion at the moment. Kuwabara?" He turned to our silent friend._

_Kuwabara fidgeted with a few of his left-over bread crumbs. "I don't know. But we've got to do something. They're starving and will start a riot if we don't."_

_I knew there was truth in his words. "Okay, but how are we going to prove that we're strong enough and capable enough to lead them? I mean I could fire off my spirit gun, but I think that might frighten them. And it wouldn't be good if all these people thought I was a demon."_

"_No detective," a dark, menacing voice said from behind me. "That might frighten these pathetic humans. Even if it is true."_

_I wouldn't have need to turn around. That voice plus the condescending remark about the human race identified the speaker. "Hey, Hiei." I turned to look at him and couldn't stop the look of shock that spread across my face. _

_Hiei looked exhausted. His normally vibrant eyes were dull and his face thin. His normally well maintained cloak was streaked with dirt and what looked very much like blood. It was tattered and was barely managing to stay on his thin frame._

"_Hey shorty, you look like you've been through hell and back." Kuwabara tone was trying to make light of the situation, but we all knew it hadn't worked._

"_In a manner of speaking, that's exactly where I have been," Hiei agreed. He then looked down at his person and sighed audibly. "Hn."_

"_What exactly is going on there?" I pressed._

_Hiei looked at me, his eyes appraising me like he was trying to see if I was ready for the information he had to give. He looked evenly back at him. With another sigh he began. "The whole of demon world is in a riot. Apparently whoever planned this has been working on it for awhile. _

"_Enki's dead. And Yomi and his son have been captured. Mukuro still evades capture, but it's only a matter of time before she too is rooted out and taking prisoner. It's bad over their, Yusuke," he told me. "Whoever's in charge of this doesn't want human lovers around. If you even show a slight allegiance, you're killed."_

"_What's going to happen to Yomi?" I asked. _

_He shook his head. "From what my sources tell me, they don't plan on doing anything to him yet. He knows something, and according to my sources what he knows is crucial to their plans. They're not going to kill him, yet but as far as what state he's in now, that I cannot tell you."_

_I clenched my fists. "You're telling me that their torturing him, right?" _

_Hiei nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean."_

"_Damn it!" I cursed. "Great. That's fucking perfect!" I'd been hoping for Yomi and Mukuro's assistance, but with him locked up and Mukuro on the run, there was no way I could get them. "What about Mukuro, where was she?"_

"_I couldn't find her. Where ever she is, she's well hidden. There might been a way for us to contact her, but I need time."_

"_Fine. I want you to go back to the demon world. Find Mukuro and then do something about Yomi, we need to know what's going on. But first, go get your sister to heal your wounds." Hiei's eyes grew wide with surprise. "You think that I didn't notice, you've been keeping an arm around your ribs the entire time you've spoken to me."_

_Hiei looked at me once more. And then with a final, 'hn' he set off to see his sister. That alone proved just how badly hurt he must have been, to not provoke a fight or anything._

_I turned to Kurama. "Should I make him stay here a night? Just to make sure he's alright?"_

_My wise read-haired friend shook his head. "It would only be for your peace of mind. Hiei's wounds heal quickly on their own. And when Yukina adds her abilities he will be hale in mere minutes." Kurama shook his head once more. "Don't worry about Hiei, Yusuke. He can handle himself."_

"_Right." I said. I wanted to believe Kurama, after all Kurama never lied about things like this. But still I couldn't help and worry. "Okay, next problem, what the hell am I going to do with all these people?"_

"_Lead them." A voice from behind me said, as though it were the most obvious thing._

_I looked back at Genkai. "What?" _

"_Lead them. What does a leader do Yusuke? He leads his followers."_

"_Old lady, did someone hit your with a rock? How that hell am I supposed to lead them?"_

_I looked at Kurama, he looked as puzzled as I did. "Master Genkai," the red-head said softly. "How is Yusuke supposed to lead them?"_

"_By being a leader." Seeing that we still were completely lost, she added, "What do leaders do? They help their people, they give them what they need. And right now, all these people need food."_

_I shook my head at her. "How am I supposed to do that?" I asked her, "I could barely find enough bread for my friends and family!"_

"_A good leader relies on his friends when his own strengths aren't enough," she told us._

"_What?" I asked. Now I knew I wasn't act dense. She was just completely crazy!_

"_Yusuke, one of your friends is a plant wielder! He can grow all kinds of plants. Plants that can feed these people."_

"_Kurama can't grow all that by himself!"_

_She shook her head. "No. But you and Kuwabara possess spirit energy you can lend him." Now that she had explained it, it sounded easy enough._

_I looked at Kurama. "You up for this?"_

_He smiled. "Of course." I stared at him as he reached a pale hand back into his deep red hair and pulled forth from it a seed, like he had done hundreds of times before._

_I continued watching as he focused his energy and then from his hand a large apple tree shot up. He rooted it into the ground and then began on another. As he did so people around him stared in wonder, awe and fear. A few people began to speak among themselves, talking of the how this man could be human. I worried for Kurama's safety until I sawlittle Yuki and Megumi standing beside Kurama. _

"_Unckle Kuwama?" Megumi said looking at him, "My I have an apple?" she asked batting her long lashes sweetly._

_Kurama smiled and nodded, handing both her and Yuki each an apple from the tree. The people watched with baited breath as the tiny children at the apples hungrily and then without a single problem went off to find soemthign to entertaint themselves with. Genkai was next, she came took an apple and ate it. Once the people saw this they too began to take from the trees. _

_Soon all the people were taking from the demon grown apple trees. I looked over at Kurama, wanting to thank him. But he wasn't in his place. Puzzled, I walked at little bit away and saw him leaning heavily against a wall, his face drenched in sweat._

"_Are you alright?" I asked him, reaching to help him support himself. _

_He smiled. "Of course. It's just draining to grown so many at once." I nodded, and then gently took his hand pressing mine against it, I shut my eyes._

_This was an old technique Genkai had taught me, it was used to give like energy to another person who's store of it were depleted. I had just summoned forth my demon energy, when I felt Kurama's hand pull away from mine. I opened my eyes to look at him._

"_No, Yusuke. You're going to need that energy," he told me._

"_Not now I don't, you do. Don't argue with me, just pay me back later, all right?"_

_Kurama smiled. "Of course."_

_I nodded and shut my eyes. I felt around once more for my demon energy and upon locating it, began focusing it into my hand and feeding it to Kurama's body. After I'd given him a sufficient amount I opened my eyes and looked back at that long line of trees that were still being picked clean for fruit. As I watched the people eat off of Kurama's handiwork I began to believe that we could prevail._

* * *

**Next chapter: You're going to find out more about the mission and we'll meetup with a few more familiar characters.**

**Sorry this is so late. A lot has been going on, but I swear on a stack of holy bibles the next chapter will be out this weekend! Promise!**

**Kuramagal**


	4. Chapter Three: Her

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you're looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**For the record:  
****In the End – present time/narration  
**_**In the End **_**- flashback**

**Chapter Three: Her**

In the end, it wasn't I who found Genkai but she who found me. She snuck up on me in one of the hallways and then proceeded to drag me off into a private sector of the tunnels. From what I deduced from her body language, she wasn't happy with me. And once we were in private, I found out why.

Apparently I wasn't the only one looking for someone today. According to her, Genkai had been looking for me for most of the afternoon, and she wasn't pleased about it either. Naturally, she articulated her displeasure by knocking me rather hard on the head. "Where have you been?" she demanded, her rough voice carried tones of irritation.

As I rubbed the sore spot on my head, wincing as I felt the lump that would surely turn into a bruise sometime in the near future, I glared at her. Genkai had a funny way of showing her concern and affection, mainly beating the living daylights out of me. Even though I had nearly 12 years'experience of her 'affection,' not even that was enough to protect me from it.

"Jesus, old woman!" I snapped back, continuing to massage my head. "Did you have to hit me that hard? I don't want to lose any more brain cells!"

Genkai snorted. "You don't have any, anyway. There's hardly any loss." Ouch! Well, I guess I did set myself up for that one. Nevertheless, I gave her a sharp glare. "Don't you start with me," she said,wagging a finger at me as I opened my mouth. "I have better things to do than listen to you open your yap all the time. Besides," she continued, her tone growing more serious, "I have something important to discuss with you."

That got my attention. "What?" I asked. Genkai wasn't one to waste her words, so if she said something was important, she meant it.

"It's about her," Genkai began. She had my full attention now. After all this time … I shook my head, not wanting to follow that train of thought or the long, sad path it would take me. Genkai seemed to be contemplating saying something, but instead all she said was, "She wants to talk to you."

"What?" I asked before I could stop myself. "Genkai, she hasn't spoken since she told me to find him. I can't believe that she would suddenly start."

Genkai sighed. "No, you know she doesn't actually speak. But the energy signals she's been sending out are mental pictures of you. She wants to speak with you, or maybe see you? I don't know. But through all the rubbish she's been spewing, your name is continuously thrown out there and combined with the mental pictures, I figure it can only mean that she wants you."

I stared at her, dumbstruck. What could she want with me? The last time I had tried to visit her, she'd not even acknowledged my presence in the room, much less spoken with me. Yet now she wanted me to come visit her? This wasn't making any sense.

"I know this seems crazy, Yusuke," Genkai said, unknowingly articulating my unspoken thoughts. "But I'm fairly certain that this is important. It's the vibes I've been getting." Genkai paused, then said, "I think you should seriously consider visiting her."

I sighed and then nodded, slowly. "Sure," I found myself saying, "I'll go see her." What did I have to lose from this? After all, my heart had already nearly broken in half the last time I saw her. I was fairly certain that one's heart could only break so many times before it completely crumbled to nothingness. And with what had happened to Kurama today, I was sure that only small fragments of my heart remained. Kurama! Thoughts of him and his condition promptedmy mind. "Genkai," I said,my voice low, "Kurama's hurt." It was blunt and to the point, but I knew Genkai didn't have the energy or time to skirt around the real reason I'd been looking for her.

My old teacher's brown eyes widened at my words. Then in voice that matched my own, she responded, "How badly?"

"Bad," I confirmed. "He's in bad shape. And Yukina wasn't able to heal him because of Touya's injures. She passed out nearly as soon as she began. Keiko sedated Kurama after Yukina passed out, but that was about all she could do for him." Genkai nodded. I could tell she was trying to keep her face impassive but, as my brief story progressed, her mask slipped,and I saw how worried she truly was.

"I need to go see him then." She was just walking away when she turned back to me. "Yusuke," she said, her eyes wary. "Does Touya know about this?"

I nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, but I told him I didn't blame him," I told her, seeing the point she was trying to make.

"Maybe, but I think I should still speak with him." Genkai's voice still carried her worry. "He knows how close you are to Kurama, how close we all are.He will feel that this is his fault that Kurama had to suffer." Genkai shook her head. "I will speak with him."

"Thanks." On an impulse, I said. "I'll go with you."

The resounding sound of her hand hitting my head echoed in the tunnel. "No. You, my dimwitted student, will go to see her. And you will do that now," she told me, her voice leaving little to no room for argument.

"Hag," I growled menacingly. My comment caused her eyebrows to rise slightly. I knew this look well, and it spoke of untellable danger for me.

"Must I put you in your place? Namely on your ass on the ground." Her tone toldme her threat, like every other in the past, was far from empty.

"No," I muttered darkly. I hated having to swallow my pride, but I knew that if I didn't she wouldn't hesitate to beat it out of me.

"I didn't think so." Her smile showed her mirth with the whole situation,and I knew that she was gloating. "I'll see you later, dimwit."

"Bye," I replied. Once she was out of eyeshot, I savagely added, "Hag!"

I stared down the dark hallway where only a moment before she had stood. It was quiet, but not in a peaceful or relaxing way. This type of quiet held a sinister air to it, and caused the hairs on the back of my neck to rise up. I had learned from the beginning of our war that we were safest when we could hear the enemy, no matter how close they were to us. It was when we couldn't hear them that we really needed to worry.

My eyes roved around the hallway. I knew in my mind that no one was there. But that didn't calm my racing heart or stop the adrenaline that was surging through my body. I shook myself. I needed to get out of this hallway.

But I knew I wasn't ready. Leaving this hallway would mean that I would have to go see her, and that was the last thing I wanted to do. She was the last person I wanted to see right now. And yet I found myself, without even realizing it, standing in another hallway, the hallway that led to her.

Then I found myself standing in front of her door, my hand poised on the handle. I wasn't ready to face her again. I wasn't ready to see the dead look in her eyes, or the thin nearly soulless figure that I saw the last time I'd come. But then again, when had I ever been ready for anything that had happened?

Had I been ready to lead people I'd never met and put their lives on the line? Had I been ready to sacrifice those I did know on suicide missions only they could accomplish? Had I been ready to watch as my friends and family returned barely alive? Had I been ready to lose Koenma, Yomi and Mukuro? No. That was the answer to all these questions. I hadn't been ready for any of this. But that didn't matter; I had a job to do. And with that thought in mind, I swung open the door.

At first, it took my eyes a few moments to grow accustomed to the dim lighting. But when they did, they took in everything, from the dingy state of the room to the pale figure that lay on the ground, her eyes open and staring at the wall to her right.

I froze as those very same eyes revolved to look at me. "Hello,Botan," I said as the same eyes that once regarded me with a mixture of spunk and spirit stared at me now with listless nonchalance. "It's been awhile."

She didn't respond, not that I expected her to. She hadn't said anything of significance since she told me to find Koenma, and that had been nearly a year ago. I looked at the pale deity before me. Botan had fallen far. And as I stared into her previously vibrant eyes of the guardian of the river Styx, I realized that I did not recognize them. Botan's eyes weren't hers. They weren't the spirited purple orbs that once shone with life and vitality. They were empty and soulless now, and that evermore brought the reality of our situation home.

Things weren't the same, not now, nor would they ever be. Botan hadn't noticed me yet, not really anyway. When she had looked at me before, she hadn't seen me. In truth, I knew that her eyes had just stared right through me, like I was a ghost. But I knew the truth of the matter was that she was the ghost.

"Botan," I murmured as I sat next to her and touched her arm. Normally, you'd be considered lucky if she even looked at you. Usually, she would sit and stare at the corner, occasionally muttering something incoherent to herself, and then she might start to cry. It was a routine I had become accustomed to, and I was waiting for it to fall into place. It never did.

When her eyes found mine, they grew wide, and she reached a hand up to shove back her stringy, long blue hair. When she had pushed the dirty strands away, she eyed me critically. "You," she said slowly, tilted her head to the side, and regarded me like she hadn't for so long.

My body froze,and my mouth grew dry. She recognized me? It wasn't possible! She hadn't noticed or seen anyone for nearly a year and now she suddenly did? I couldn't believe it!

"Botan?" I said when I finally found my voice. "Do you recognize me?"

Her eyes regarded me critically, and then she nodded. My heart seized with happiness,and I began to babble like an incessant toddler. "B-but h-how is this possible! H-how? And why? Botan, what is going on?"

"Alpha," she murmured,looking at me earnestly. My heart dropped to my stomach as I realized the inevitable truth. Although Botan may have recognized me, she didn't 'know' me. She hadn't come to her senses. This was spiraling downward and it would end up just like every other time.

"What?" I asked. What the hell was she talking about? What was Alpha? Anger boiled inside of me, though it wasn't directed at the pale deity beside me. No, this anger was at myself. For being stupid, for allowing myself to hope that she had come back to us, while in truth she was still so far gone that it was quite possible she never would fully come back.

It was this that caused me to lose sleep at night, the thought of never having her back, the bubbly, happy grim reaper – the best of all paradoxes. However, what really caused me to lose sleep and caused my stomach to churn during those long nights where I stared up at the grimy cement ceiling of the room Keiko and I called home and remembered. This trance or whatever the hell Genkai and all the other healers wanted to call it wasn't the result of a physical injury. No, this was caused by losing everything, especially the only person you've ever loved. And it was this knowledge that truly dug into my heart. Knowing that I could have prevented this, all of this, that I could have saved her, protected her. My failure sickened me.

There must have been something I could have done? Something that would have prevented all of this. I had mulled this thought for a long time, longer than any battle tactic or strategy. Longer than I had thought about where our next meal or supplies to fill our medic kits would come. Longer than any of those, and yet I knew. There was nothing I could have done.

"Alpha," Botan said again, dragging me from the dark corners of my mind and back to the present.

"Yes," I said, brushing myself off as I stood. I looked down on the pale figure. I had to get out of here! "It was nice to see you, Botan," I said, hastily turning for the door. "I'll visit again soon," I called over my shoulder. I had to get out of there, before I broke down, and I knew it was only a matter of time before that happened.

"Alpha," Botan feebly called once more, before I slammed the door shut and collapsed to the floor, tears falling freely down my face.

I don't know how long I sat there, with my back pressed against Botan's room. And I didn't care. I had been holding myself back for too long now. I needed a release. I needed to break something, to release the torment from my soul.

I hadn't meant to cry, but then again very few people ever intentionally cry. And I cried about everything. I cried about how Megumi should have been starting school this year, and how well she would have done. I cried about how Kurama would have been finishing his doctorate this year, and how I would have made my annual trip back to Makai to mourn loss of my forefather, Raizen. I cried for all of these broken dreams, and for all the ones that I didn't know or might have been.

Maybe Keiko and I would be expecting another child? Maybe Kurama – oh hell even Hiei – would be getting married? Maybe … there were so many maybes, so many wonderful things that could have happened if _this _hadn't. I shook my head. It was a waste of energy to dwell on them. I knew that. Besides, I had things to do.

I stood from the dirty ground, and brushed off my threadbare pants. It was time I refocused on the present, namely those who depended on me now. And the first on that list was Kurama. I left the hold where we were keeping Botan, made a quick left and headed up a flight of stairs towards our medical center. As I walked, I passed a group of teenagers smoking what appeared to be pot. Normally, I didn't let shit like that slide, but today I really didn't care. It was those stupid kids' lucky day. I continued down the hallway.

I had just rounded the corner outside the medical center when I ran straight into someone and land flat on my back.

"Urameshi-sama!" a flighty voice I knew all to well squeaked. I looked up from the ground to see Haru, Kurama's shadow, standing in front of me. "Urameshi-sama! Are you alright?" The young man grasped my arm and pulled me to my feet.

Once I had been properly righted, I turned my attention towards him. "Haru, what are you doing here?" I honestly didn't mean for the question to come out so terse, but apparently Haru thought it was.

"I'm sorry! I just heard … I mean, I heard that Minamino-sama, I mean Kurama-sama … well…" Haru looked slightly abashed.

I sighed. "You don't have to apologize," I told him. He was very good at taking blame, much like his idol was. "You heard that Kurama was injured, right?" I asked patiently. Figures, I thought, Haru was the equivalent of one of Kurama's fan girls from high school – no, I amended that, he was worse. Although his interested didn't lie in Kurama being his boyfriend, Haru was still as close to Kurama as his own shadow.

Haru was about seventeen or so, of medium height and had a slim build. His most defining feature was his small face, on which perched over-sized glasses that constantly slipped down his long, thin nose. As a person, Haru was good kid, smart and kind. Before the disaster he had attended Meoui, Kurama's old school. And thus he heard of the famous Shuichi Minamino and was determined to be just like him.

I was surprised because Kurama, who normally found things like this to be irksome, took a liking to this kid. He patiently answered all of Haru's detailed and boring questions. When he had a spare moment – which wasn't often – he assisted Haru and his two friends, Hoshi and Taiki with their martial arts training. Hence, the three of them hero-worshipped Kurama. But Haru was by far his biggest fan and thus I had expected him to show up sooner or later. He always did so when he found out through the rumor mill that Kurama was injured.

"I had heard that from Hoshi," Haru said vehemently, adjusting his overlarge glasses which had predictably started to slip down his face. "She said that her mother said that a building toppled on him!" Haru's eyes were wide. "Will he all right, Urameshi-sama?"

I shook my head. Everything got around so fast here. It hadn't been six hours and yet all these people knew what had happened to Kurama. "Yes, Haru it's true. He'll be all right, however." At my words Haru looked very relieved.

Haru nodded eagerly. "That's good, Urameshi-sama! Very good, Urameshi-sama!" He really needed to stop calling me that.

"Yes, well I need to be going now. I've got to go check up on him," I told the teen.

Haru couldn't have moved any faster. Before I'd barely finished speaking, Haru had already thrown himself out of my way. "Urameshi-sama, I'm sorry! I wasted your time!" He called back to me, already halfway down the hall.

I was about to tell him that it was fine, and that he hadn't wasted my time. But he was already long gone before the words had even come to my mind. I shook my head after his retreating form. And then, sighing softly and headed down the hall to the medic center I was just about to enter, when I heard someone shout out my name.

"Urameshi-sama!" I knew who that was, but why was he back? "Urameshi-sama! Please would you give this to Kurama-sama?" Haru was back and in his hands there was a piece of paper. Puzzled I glanced at the front, it was a card. I looked up at Haru. Apparently, he saw my confusion because he said, "It's a get well card." His ears were pink. "For Kurama-sama."

I nodded, feeling slight touched for Kurama's sake. "I'll give it to him," I told the teen.

The boy looked like he could have hugged me. "Thank you, Urameshi-sama!" Then, without another word, he was gone again.

I shook my head and slipped the card into my voluminous pants pocket. Haru was a nice kid, but we really needed to have a talk about the 'Urameshi-sama' bit, I thought as a smile found its way on to my face. Then with that thought still in mind, I turned at entered the medic center.

I was surprised to find the room empty, save the bed occupied by the injured red-head. I headed directly for that bed, and saw with some satisfaction that Kurama did appear a lot better. Most of the bruising around his ribs was gone and his face had regained some color. His eyes were still shut, but I could tell by his breathing that he was either awake, or in a very light sleep. Deciding that I would try for the later, I spoke, "You scared the shit out of us today, Kurama. I thought…"

Green eyes met mine. "…You thought I was going to die? I presume that was your original thought. Though it's hard to know when one pauses mid-sentence," a tired, but definitely awake, Kurama responded, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Smartass," I scoffed. He smiled gently at me. I don't know if it was his smile or just the fact that he didn't understand my fear, but I suddenly got very angry with him. "You know, Kurama, Kuwabara and I haven't been severely injured since this happened." Kurama's eyes narrowed, noting my change in tone. Despite that, I continued, "You don't quite understand the effect it has on us. But let me assure you, it's not something I ever want to experience again!"

As soon as I finished, I really wanted to cut my tongue off, just so I'd never saysomething like that to one of my friends again. Once I saw the look of hurt that crossed Kurama's face, I decided shooting myself would be better. How could I say something like that to him? How could I even think it?

I looked at one of my best friends,his body wrapped in bandages, his face bruised and bloody. All of this was my fault, and yet, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he would take the blame I had just laid on him, and he would do it gladly.

That was just the kind of person Kurama was. He was willing to sacrifice himself for others, and did it without expecting any reward or approval. He did it for his own conscience and peace of mind. He had demonstrated this on so many occasions that I came to associate that kind of behavior as 'Kurama-like.' He was so willing to take the blame, and yet this once he'd tried to make light of the situation, probably for my sake so I wouldn't see just how badly injured he was. To protect me from extra worry that he would cause. I fought the strong urge to slam my head against the wall, as Kurama opened his mouth to speak.

I would have loved for him to yell at me. To tell me what an ass I was being, but he didn't – I knew he wouldn't. No, he was Kurama, he would take the blame. "I'm sorry I worried you today," he offered, his tone solemn but simple. "It wasn't intentional, Yusuke. I just …" He paused. "I was so tired, I didn't pay to my surroundings. If I had I would have noticed that that building was unsound."

Something about this struck me as odd, but I choose to ignore it in favor of apologizing. I shook my head, still fighting the urge to run it into something. "No, damn it! It's not your fault. I'm sorry!" I rubbed my eyes exhaustedly, and sat down. "You frightened me. I thought that I was going to lose you today," I whispered. "I can't even begin to explain how that felt and while I was standing in the rubble, I … I was … terrified.

"But that still doesn't excuse what I said," I continued, turning the conversation away from the previous thought, knowing that if I didn't I would break down again. "I just opened my damn mouth and let everything fall out. Those were horrible things to say to you. This wasn't your fault. No one could have predicted that building collapsing."

I hung my head, feeling like an absolute moron. How could I have gotten angry with him? What had Kurama done but offer countless times to take the blame? I was so caught up in my self-deprecation that I barely noticed the hand thatfound my shoulder.

"Yusuke," Kurama said, causing me to look up. My eyes met his, and I was stunned by the emotion I found there. It wasn't hatred, anger or even tolerance. It was understanding, and it soothed me. Kurama knew. He always knew. He knew that I was trying, that I hadn't meant to get angry with him, that I was suffering like he was. He knew, and that gave me peace.

"Thank you," I murmured, bowing my head. I heard the sheets move slightly, and suddenly I felt the hand that had grasped my shoulder now covered my hand.

I looked down to find Kurama's slim hand curled around mine. As I watched, I felt a gentle squeeze. That squeeze said the same things his eyes had. He understood, and he forgave me. And that was all I could ask for.

After the squeeze, Kurama's hand remained on mine. It might have seemed weird, but I didn't find it so. In the past, I would have taken this gesture to be a sexual advancement, but now I knew its true nature. It was a symbol of friendship. Of a friendship that came with beating impossible odds and living to talk about them. It came from watchingeach other fightfor one another, and watching as those people you cared for must gave their all for you. It's something that takes time and effort to get, but once you have it there's nothing quite like it in the world. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

"How are you healing?" I asked him seriously, coming back to the present. "Are you in pain?"

Kurama didn't answer me immediately. When he did his voice was light and airy, and I knew he was lying. "I'm much better, Yusuke."

"Don't lie to me."

Kurama gave me a wan smile. "No. I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, his smile widening a fraction at the look I was giving him. "I'm better than I was, Yusuke," he said slowly. To most, this casual answer would be a good beginning, but I knew better. I'd seen this act before and knew what he was trying to do. It was his damn nature to skirt around the real issue. It wasn't lying per se, but it was damn close.

"Jesus, Kurama! Are you in pain? Just answer my question, please." His verdant eyes looked at mine. I saw shock registered in them.

"Since when have your senses grown so acute?" he asked me, his eyes regarded me with interest.

I sighed. "Answer my question, please," I told him wearily, my eyes scanning his emaciated body and finally resting on his sunken green eyes.

Kurama sighed. "What more can I say? I'm healing." He looked at me, and the expression on my face. With a sigh, he continued. "My ribs are better since Genkai's treatment, but my shoulder is still giving me trouble," he admitted, gesturing awkwardly to his heavily bandaged right shoulder. "Keiko and Genkai were worried that it might have been more severe than just a broken collarbone," he said softly. "And of course, there's my leg, which I haven't even attempted to move yet," he said darkly, his voice laced with dry humor. "I don't know, Yusuke. How do you think I fare?"

His question had a dark and irritated air to it, but I knew that he wasn't directing his anger at me. If anything, his anger was at himself, for getting injured in the first place. I sighed. I had gotten the answer I wanted, an honest one. Now it was time to change the subject. "Where's Keiko?" I asked as if I'd just registered my wife's absence.

Kurama noted the subject change, but he didn't comment on it. Honestly, I think he was relieved. "She's in the kitchen trying to get me something to eat. I told her I wasn't hungry, but -"

"-But she told you thatneeded it, that you were too thin?" I pressed, finishing his thought. Here we were, back on Kurama again, but I wasn't going to change the subject this time. "And she's right. You are too thin. No, don't argue with me," I said, his mouth still forming the words he was going to say. "Kurama," I began heavily, "I know you preach that your fighting style requires a lithe body, but I'm pretty sure being emaciated and lithe are two very different things." His eyes narrowed. "You need to eat, Kurama. You can't pull a Hiei and stop eating. Despite having a demon inside you, that body of yours is still human. Someone as intelligent as you knows that."

Kurama bowed his head. My knowledge of this hit him hard. "Yes," he murmured. He looked up with me, his green eyes filled with pain. "But I can't stand it Yusuke, watching as Megumi and Yuki waste away. Megumi used to have such lovely plumpcheeks. Now her cheekbones are so prominent that I've begun to forget how soft those cheeks once were." Kurama blinked, and looked away from me. Then, in a voice soft as the winter wind, he said, "I hate it, Yusuke. I hate how useless I am. How she and Yuki and all the other little ones are suffering. It shouldn't be this way," he said, clenching his left hand. "I should be able to do something!" he raged, sitting up from his nest of pillows.

It proved to be an ill-planned move on his part, for as soon as he moved, his eyes filled with agony and his face paled. My arms caught his weakened body and gently helped him lay back. "I hate it too," I admitted softly, still reeling from what he'd just said. Did he really feel that way? I would be understandable after all. He was constantly trying to take the blame for things. All of these thoughts raced through my mind as I resettled him back against his pillows. "But the part that affects me most is when I look at you, Hiei,and Kuwabara. I see how thin you've all become and how the circles under your eyes only grow darker. It's at times like this that I wonder what kind of leader I am, and what I've gotten you all into.

"I know that you all do this willingly. You've all told me often enough. But I wonder if,in the middle of the night, you wish that we had just given up. That the three of you had turned me over to the demons and let them kill me like Yomi and Mukuro," I whispered. It was my greatest fear and, as I searched Kurama impassive face for answer I really didn't want, I had to wonder if it would have been better, if they would have had a better life? "Maybe it would have been better-"

Suddenly, I felt a razor sharp nails dig into my arm. I looked down in shock to see Kurama's pale hand clenched tightly around my forearm. His sharp nails digging themselves into the fleshy skin. I tried to pull my arm away, but the hand and nails held me in place. Then they tightened. "Don't!" Kurama's voice was knife-sharp. "Don't, Yusuke. Don't even think it! Don't you dare!" Kurama panted, removing his hand. "Don't ever, ever mention that again!"

Kurama's panting soon turned into heaves as he tried to regain his breath. Just gripping my arm had cost him so much energy, but it had accomplished its purpose. "Breath slower," I murmured, realizing how the pants were affecting his broken ribs. After a few moments, Kurama's face still had a reddish tinge to it, but his breathing had evened out almost completely. Once again, he spoke.

"Yusuke, we would never, never hand you over to them," Kurama told me, his voice calmer but slightly breathless. "We didn't do it that day and we certainly won't do it now."

I nodded, I remembered that day well. We had been well outnumbered and odds showed that we would all die. Indeed we almost had, the battle ended with the demons winning and us fleeing for safety.

Kuwabara and I had found an abandoned warehouse that was still mainly intact and had begun reorganizing our troops. Only about half of them survived. Among those who had survived I saw my three leaders, Taro – a tall, beefy man who had some martial arts training, Miki – a teenaged girl that Genkai had been apprenticing, and Isamu – a young guy with a dark sinister aura around him, who strongly reminded me of Hiei. The rest of our troops I either didn't recognize because of their injuries or didn't know. Some leader I was.

"_Yusuke." Isamu physically pulled me over to the side. Many would say his way of getting someone's attention manhandling, but I knew that it was just the way he was, physical. "I have only about half of my men, and of that half, only about six are still able to fight." The dark young man's black eyes regarded me in a piercing way that would have made Hiei proud. _

_I nodded to him. _"_Assemble those of your men who are still able to fight, find a medic or healer for the rest," I told him pushing my way through the crowd. It didn't get far before I was grabbed once more._

"_Yusuke." It was Taro. Of all the people I had appointed leadership positions, Taro was the most qualified and my favorite. The first day that I had become the leader, he had challenged me for it. The beefy, short-tempered man told me over and over again that his ten years in the military were better than my five years as a spirit detective. Naturally, I'd wanted to knock the shit out of him, however Genkai, being the good teacher that she was advised me against it. Instead, she told me to fight him like I would Kurama or Kuwabara after they'd recovered from a severe injury. Her reasoning was that Taro would be a better asset than opponent. Like always, she was right. Taro has been one of the most loyal people I've ever met, and that's something considering who I have for friends. "Yusuke, my troops are barely holding in there. What should I do?"_

"_Assemble those who are still able to fight, get medics for those who can't," I repeated my exact words from Isamu. He nodded and the rushed off to find his troops I looked for Kurama, Hiei and Kuwabara. I saw Kuwabara talking with Miki in the mass of people, but I couldn't locate my tall red-haired or short midnight-haired friends. _

"_Have you seen Kurama or Hiei?" I turned to see Kuwabara standing beside me._

_I shook my head. "Not since sometime in the middle of the fight." I looked at my tallest friend's face, noting the worried look that aged his features._

"_They'll be fine," I told him reassuringly. "After all, they're demons; they save our asses, not the other way around."_

_He nodded, though he didn't look fully convinced. "I hope so Urameshi." I continued to dwell on that thought as I arranged the remaining troops into some semblance of order. What if I was wrong … what if they had fallen? I shook myself, they were fine! Besides, I didn't have time to dwell on them or their whereabouts. _

_I was just finalizing my attack strategy when the crowds parted to reveal a tense Kurama who carried a bloody and half-dead Hiei. My heart stopped, and I could only watch numbly as Kurama hurried forward with the body. "I found him out there." Kurama's eyes were flashing and the troops knew not to get in his way. "He's dying, Yusuke."_

To this day, I can still remember the fear that gripped my heart. It was far more real than anything I'd ever experienced. I had been sure that Hiei was dead. The state that he was in, his blood drenching Kurama's shirt and dripping steadily onto the floor, and the look on Kurama's face had only intensified my fears. I can remember thinking that I would have to bury one of my few friends with the rest of my men lost that day. Until I detectedthe faint traces of Hiei's ki. I would know it anywhere, it was asdistinct as he was.

In the end, Hiei had survived, but barely. That incident had served as a shocking reminder of just how very thin the line was between life and death, and it showed me ever more clearly that even the three strongest people I knew could die. And that frightened me more than anything else. Back during the Dark Tournament it had been kids stuff. I'd never actually thought we could die. But now things were different.

"Yusuke," Kurama said, grabbing at my sleeve and pulling me out of my reverie. "We are your friends. And we would never let that happen to you, no matter what. We won't leave you."

"I know," I said. And it was true. I did. I knew that three friends of mine were different from anyone I'd ever met orwould meet. They each had their own honor code, and those honor codes were all alike. They entrusted their loyalty to few but to those precious few, the loyalty was unyielding. They would do anything for those few, even die for them.

"I'm glad," Kurama said sincerely. Then he smiled. "Now, if you would be so kind, I am in need of your assistance. I would appreciate it if you could bring me some of my documents. I would like to do something useful while I'm cooped up in here."

I knew what he wanted to do, strategize. Come up with new battle plans and tactics work himself down to nothing. He was Kurama. Thus was his life, and I knew there was little I could do to stop him. "I don't know," I began slowly, watching as his green eyes darkened at my refusal. "I mean, you are still very weak. I wouldn't want to over tax you."

By this time, Kurama had caught on, and knew what I was trying to do. "Yusuke, don't force me to feed you to my plant. Mark me, I will do it." Well, that was putting it bluntly, I thought as a smile crept onto my face.

"All right, fox boy, I'll get you your paperwork, but you've got promise me that you won't overwork yourself, all right?"

"You have my word," the demon replied solemnly, but there was a faint twinkle of defiance in his green orbs.

I ignored it, though. "Good." The thought of papers jolted my memory. I began to dig through my pockets, until my hand finally found the recently added card. I withdrew it from my pocketed and handed it to a bewildered Kurama. "This is for you."

Kurama took the card with his good hand; looking at me like I had lost my sanity. "Who?" he queried.

I sighed. "I'll give you three guesses."

His eyes lit up at the realization. "It's from Haru, isn't it?" Kurama smiled, and opened the card one-handed. I watched as his eyes scanned the card. At times they would light up and a small smile would form on his lips. When he was finished he set it beside him, and with another smile he said, "He's a good kid."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but we've got to do something about the 'sama' bit."

Kurama laughed. "Perhaps." The smiled dropped from his face and I saw his eyes look past me warily. I saw someone move out of the corner of my left eyes and so I turned to see Keiko. It was then that I saw what made Kurama so wary. Keiko, my sweet gentle wife, carried with her a tray of some kind of food. She didn't look surprised to see me.

"Hello," Keiko said as she gave me a feather-light kiss on the cheek. Then she set the tray on Kurama's lap. "Eat," she commanded. Kurama looked at the food and then at me with a look of pleading on his face.

I was already halfway out the door. "See ya, Kurama," I said with a smirk. I smiled to myself, fully aware that I was leaving the injured demon at the mercy of my unrelenting wife.

As I was shutting the door, I glanced once more at Kurama, who was trying to convince a very insistent Keiko that he really wasn't hungry. I smirked once more. Good luck, Kurama, I thought and, with a sigh, I shut the door.

**Okay so there you go! Another chapter and it only took me a few days. Very nice! Anyway, thank you to all of those who reviewed for chapter two. Okay, so I forgot this in the other chapter because I'm an idiot, but I need to thank my wonderful beta. Thank you so much, DangonDancer1014. You're amazing and keep me from looking like a complete moron!**

**Next chapter: Will be out soon. It depends on how many reviews … just kidding! Should be out no later than two weeks, I promise!**

**Kuramagal**


	5. Chapter Four: Counting Losses

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you're looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Chapter Four: Counting Losses**

I took a long drag from my cigarette and looked out towards the early morning sun. I sighed, though it was not with contentment. This beauty before me was surreal. The darkness hid the destruction surrounding me, and the warm early sunlight thatspilled forward illuminated only the outline of the remaining buildings. It was like none of it had happened, like I was sitting on the balcony of my old home. It was a morning ritual I haddone since I began training with Genkai all those many years ago, when I had been only fourteen years old. It was frightening to think that I had known her for twelve years now. Even more frightening was the fact that with each year that passed, her time continued to draw to a close. I shook my head. That was something I'd tried to forget. Tried, but I knew the truth; eventually, she would have to leave us.

I looked out towards the rising sun. Somewhere out there, perhaps more to the right of my vision, my home lay in the ruins of the city, and I would know – I had been there. It was impossible to tell one building from another, much less what street had been which, and yet I hadmanaged to find that familiar building. I had even found my apartment – the pieces,that is.

I drew another long drag from cigarette and slowly released the smoke into the air, letting the early morning light cast its light on it and dye it different shades and colors. I watched it for a moment as it gradually disappeared. It was like the life we once had before, colored in some many wonderful shades and then gone as soon as it had come.

I breathed in deeply and rested my head back against the overhang. I had been happy then. For the first time in my life, I had actually known what true happiness was. I had a wife who loved me, a daughter I cherished, friends whom I would die for, and a job and lifestyle that I could be proud of. I had it all, and just like the dream that is too good to be true, it was all snatched away from me. Just like the smoke from my cigarette, it too disappeared.

I tossed my cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with my foot. It had been a good dream at any rate, I thought as the embers quickly died under my shoe. I turned to head back down the stairs and into the subway tunnel, but before I could venture back into the darkness, I turned to look once more at the sunlight. And then with a heavy sigh, I descended down the stairs and into the darkness.

Once below, it took only few seconds for my eyes to adjust but, when they did, I realized that I was not alone. At the base of the steps, there stood a tiny figure that I knew and recognized all too well.

"Daddy," she said in a little voice, as she rubbed her brown eyes with one hand, ridding them of sleep, and clutched her little raggedy stuffed tiger with the other.

I bent down and lifted my tiny five-year old into my arms. "Hello there, princess," I said, planting a kiss on her forehead as she snuggled into my chest, apparently still very tired. "What are you doing out of bed?" I asked gently.

"I saw you leave," she responded tiredly, snuggling more into my warm embrace. "You left and I didn't feel safe no more." Her voice was muffled as she buried her face into my shirt.

I paused at her honesty. "Megumi," I murmured gently, "you know it's not safe for you to leave the house, especially when you don't tell Mommy. You'll worry her, and we don't want that, do we?" I asked seriously. I knew I should be more upset, but I understood her fear. She had seen several people leave with me and nevercome back. Since this whole ordeal, she had become very clingyto me and Keiko, often growing moody or even teary when we left for extended periods of time. It would not matter if she were with her favorite Uncle Kurama or even Yuki. If she did not know where we were, she would insist on finding us. "Do you understand that, munchkin?"

She opened her eyes and nodded. "I understand." She did not look nearly as sleepy as she had before. "How is Uncle Kurama?" she asked, her eyes wide now as she remembered. I too remembered. How could I forget? I could practically smell the terror that radiated off of her yesterday. It had been poor planning that she had seen Kurama when we had returned with him. I should have known to tell Keiko to take her away, but in my haste to save his life, I had forgotten and Megumi had seen.

I smiled at her in what I thought was a reassuring way. "Better, princess," I murmured. "He's doing much better."

"May I see him?" she asked tentatively, her eyes wide and innocent, making it very hard for me to refuse. Not that I would have been able to normally.

"Perhaps, but not today. Soon, princess," I said gently. I pinched her nose. "I'm sure he misses you, munchkin."

She giggled. "I miss him too," she admitted. "He is fun to play with." She leaned closer and whispered, "He's good at horsey."

I laughed. "Really?" I asked eagerly. "I didn't know that? Well, I'm sure when he feels better he'll be happy to play 'horsey' with you again." I smiled at my little darling. She was one of the few people I knew who could still make me laugh, who reminded me that I was still human, that I was still alive. I kissed her forehead. "Come on, princess. I'd better get you back to your castle before the evil witch notices your absence."I put my hands underneath her arms and lifted her up into my shoulders. "How do you like your noble steed, my lady?" I asked, even though I could tell by her happy giggles that she was indeed very pleased with her new mode of travel

"Faster! Faster!" she giggled, urging me forward. And so, galloping like a fool, I carried my princess through the deserted hallways back to our 'home.' Though once there, I wish we had not gone quite as fast. As soon as we entered the room, once a janitor's closet, Keiko greeted us with her sharp tongue.

"Where have you two been!?" my normally sweet-tempered wife asked. I could practically see the steam pouring from her ears.

"Megumi couldn't sleep, so I took her on a little walk," I offered, trying to pacify her.

"A little walk? Without telling me? How dare you do something like that! For all I'd known, you both could have been injured or dead!" she shrieked at me. I understood her anger. She, like Megumi, had grown protective of her family and was terrified that it would be taken from her. But, unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for it.

I set Megumi down. "Princess, why don't you go play? Hm?" Megumi nodded, unsure, but willing to do what I asked, and so she set off towards her pallet. Once she had gone off, I took my wife's arm, stepping outside I led her to the door. After I hadcarefully shut it behind me, I turned to her.

"What's the matter with you?" I demanded trying to keep my temper in check. "Can't you see that your little outburst upset Megumi? In fact, you've been like this for weeks. What's the matter with you?"

I expected Keiko to get angry with me, to slap me to do something, but that did not happen. Instead, she took a deep breath and leaned again the wall. Then, in a shaky voice, she said, "Yusuke, I'm pregnant."

I felt my stomach drop. Pregnant? Now? This couldn't be happening! There was so much I wanted to say, but the only thing that came out was, "You're sure?"

"Yes."

"How long?" I pressed, not daring to believe my ears. Pregnant?! But we had not … It had been so long since …

"Three months," she said, guilt in her soft voice.

"What?" It was all I could say. She had known this long, and she hadn't told me! I felt rage building up inside of me. "You never told me-" I began angrily.

She cut me off. "I wanted to be sure. I did not want to worry you over nothing. But now I'm positive. I checked with Yukina," she said quietly, then added, "I needed her help. I wanted to be hundred percent positive when I told you." She paused, then asked fearfully, "Yusuke, what are we going to do?"

I stared at her. "What do you mean?" That was a lie. I knew what she was asking, but I did not want to face it.

"You know what I mean!" she said dangerously, tears threatening to spill over. "What should we do about this baby? You know we don't have the resources. It would make me a liability. You don't need that-"

I cut her off. "I think you should keep it," I said softly.

"What?" she cried. "Yusuke, no! I will not bring another child into this … this world! It's not fair to the baby! It's not fair to us! One child is enough to worry about losing. I will not fear losing two!" She was hysterical now, weeping and shouting at me. I knew it was my fault, and so I did the only thing I could. I took her into my arms.

I do not know how long we stood there, but I doubt even eternity would have been long enough. How were we going to choose? Either way, it was a losing situation. If we went the moral way, we brought a child into this world of evil and suffering. But if we allowed the baby to… I shook my head. I knew which choice I wanted. But in the end, it was Keiko's child too. When her cries had finally subsided to sniffles, I smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. "You know what I think about this. But in the end this baby is yours too, and you're the one carrying it. You're going to have to choose," I whispered.

She opened her mouth to speak, "No," I said, putting a finger on her lips. "Not now. Later. Think about it," I told her gently. Then, I embraced her. "I love you. You are one of the brightest and most wonderful people I know. I know you'll make the right decision. Whatever it is," I told her softly.

I felt another tear hit my shirt, but it was a lone one. "Why did things have to be this way?" she whispered. "Whereit comes to something as horrible as this?"

I shook my head. "I don't know," I told her softly. And it was the truth – I had no clue.

That event stuck with me for the rest of the morning. Keiko was pregnant! I could not believe something that wonderful had happened. But as the wonderful feeling wore away, the fear and uncertainty were left,and they nagged at my mind. How were we going to have this baby? Pregnancies, I knew from Megumi, took a big toll on the mother. And with our current circumstances, it seems pretty impossible for her to get even the adequate nutrition that she would need to deliver a healthy baby.

I could not believe it had come to this. We were going to have to decide between her keeping the baby or not. It was a horrible decision for any parents to make, but especially us who always said that no matter the circumstances we would never even consider anything as horrible as abortion. If only we had known back then the situation we would be facing right now.

We both did not did not need this right now. "Hey, Yusuke!"

I really did not need to talk to him right now, either.

"Hey Kuwabara," I said in a monotone. I really did like Kuwabara. He was my closest and most trusted friend, but even I had to admit he had the most god-awful timing I had ever seen.

He took my arm and dragged me off to a corner. "We've got a problem," he said slowly and deliberately. That got my attention very quickly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, now fully alert, completely forgetting my previous dilemma.

"Come with me," he said, rushing down the hallway. I nearly had to run to keep up with him. Kuwabara had reached a full height of six feet four inches, taller than most people ever hopedto be. He was a veritable giant, and it gave him authority. Kurama at six-foot-one was also considered rather tall, but his authority, like Hiei's, came from his tone and the ageless wisdom that came with it. As for me, my skill in battle and my strength gave me influence. However, all the rest of ours, though viable, were nothing compared to the awe that came to people's faces when they saw Kuwabara. For unlike us the rest of us, he did not have to do or show anything. Hisauthoritativeness was clearly visible, just by his height.

I stared up at my tall friend, nearly having to run to keep up with his long strides. Kuwabara's height truly gave him a remarkable advantage. Thinking about that led me to Yukina and then to Yuki. It would be interesting to see how the little boy turned out. Whether he had his father's gargantuan height or if he had his mother's petite and demur build. One thing that would be interesting would be whether his uncle would get a hold of him to train his internal fire demon traits that he had been showing since he was a baby.

I remember as though it was yesterday. Yukina had been trying earnestly to teach Yuki to crawl. She had left him for a few second to answer the phone. When she returned she found he hadstarted a small fire in the palm of his infant hand. Yukina, who had known since before her wedding that Hiei was her brother, immediately contacted him and told him of her son's startling discovery.

Hiei had been overjoyed, naturally, and had wanted to start training the boy instantly. It had taken several of Keiko and Yukina's gentle and patient explanations before he understood that it was too early for his nephew to start manifesting his fire demon abilities.

"Yusuke!"

I was snapped rather violently out of my thought's by Kuwabara's loud, boisterous voice.

"Yeah." I would just pretend like I had been listening.

"Where the hell have you been for the past ten minutes as I've been explaining the problem to you? And don't even pretend like you were listening!" Kuwabara warned.

I cursed inwardly. I hated it when he read my mind. "Sorry." It was a grudging apology, but an apology nevertheless. "My mind was elsewhere. Now what exactly is going on?"

Kuwabara sighed. "Med run," he said. Then, he reached ahead of him to a set of doors in fornt of which I had not even realized we were standing. Cringing, we pushed the doors open. Once we had, I heard a full-scale argument within them.

"Well you can shove that idea up your ass!" the familiar oh-so-sweet voice of Shizuru Kuwabara said. Had it been anyone else, the comment would have seemed nasty, but Shizuru's nonchalant voice made it seem as thought it had been a trifling comment. Well, she sounded like she was in a good mood. Her normally loud voice was magnified tenfold in the room. I sighed and skirted around the crates and boxes to head towards them. The supply room's interior was large, open, and empty two things that a supply room shouldn't be.

"Would you just listen for one moment, you stupid woman!" That was Shishi's voice. He also sounded rather peachy. I shook my head and walked around yet another empty box.

"I don't feel pretty!" I knew that voice too.

"SHUT UP, SUZUKI!" they both shouted in unison.

I looked at Kuwabara, whose face had taken on a fearful expression. "Get the tranquilizers," I whispered to him, then I took a step forward, rounding the final box and revealing myself to the three. "Hey guys!" I raised a hand in greeting to them and waited for the onslaught. It came faster than I expected.

"Yusuke!" Shishi shouted, rushing over and dragging me over to where he and Shizuru were standing around a large table. "Look at this," he pointed to the stack of messy papers. I recognized Kurama's near-perfect writing on them. "We're low on everything!"

I took some of the papers into my hands. Then with Shishi and Shizuru practically perched on my shoulders, I began looking them over. Shishi had a point. We were low on just about everything: food, medicines, bandages – especially those. I shook my head and looked back at my accountants. I turned to find Shizuru holding Shishi by his collar, glaring at him menacingly.

"Shizuru," I growled.

"What?" her question was gruff and nonchalant as she looked back at me.

I sighed. "I understand your need to vent you anger, but can't you find someone I need less, like … I don't know, your brother maybe?"

Kuwabara, who was still hiding back near the crates, gave me a incredulous look. "What-what!?" he stammered rendered almost speechless. I had to congratulate myself on that one, as it was nearly impossible to shut him up.

"Fine," Shizuru agreed amicably. She set a relieved Shishi down. Then the two of them came to stand beside me, one keeping as far as possible from the other. Shizuru looked at me and then pulled a cigarette from her pocket after lighting it she said, "As you can see we need to put a group together for a supply run."

I nodded. "Yeah, I get that. But what exactly was that little spat you had before?" Surely all of this could not have come from a supply run?

Shizuru glanced at Shishi and then in a nonchalant voice said, "Oh, Shishi invaded my personal bubble."

I quirked an eyebrow. "That's it?" What the hell!

Shizuru nodded, inhaling her cigarette. "Yes, and he was making some rather poor choices for the med run. Either way, he was aggravating me," she told me calmly.

I looked from one to the other and shook my head. "I really feel for Kurama if this is how you both normally act around him." I shook my head. If I had to deal with this all day, I probably would snap and kill one of them. Then again, Kurama did have a lot of patience, far more than I would ever be able to possess. I sighed. It was just a fact of life – Kurama was perfect. The end.

"Fine. If you give me some of the paper, I'll take it to Kurama and he can put together a team for the med run." Shizuru, Shishi and Suzuki, who had managed to disappear during this little instance, instantly went quiet. "What?" Now I was confused.

"Yusuke." Shizuru's voice was tentative, very unlike her. "Are you sure that he's up to this? I mean from what I heard …" She paused.

"Yeah. I talked with him yesterday. He's bored out his mind. Believe me." I reassured them. "He'll be happy to have something to do. Meanwhile, you guys keep distributing what we have. Just keep this shortage as hushed as you can. We don't need another panic." The three of them nodded, knowing full well what I meant. "Okay, so we're good to go then. I'll go drop this off with Kurama, and you all can continue organizing what we do have." I turned to my accomplice, who had sometime during this exchange come up behind me. "Kuwabara, we've got other things to do. Come on." I seized the paperwork on the table and, with a wave behind me, I took off.

It took us a few moments to wind our way out of the supply room, but eventually we made it. "That's a veritable mess." It was an unnecessary statement. Nevertheless, I needed to say something. The silence was stifling.

"Yeah, well, Sis is trying to clean it up," Kuwabara agreed, one hand behind his head nervously. I let a smile take over my face. Kuwabara would forever be the awkward boy I knew as a teen. It was impossible to say that he had not grown up. The truth was that of everyone he'd had to grow up the most. Though I would never admit it in anyway, shape or form I was always more protective of him than that others. I had not even realized it myself, till Toguro had targeted him at during the Dark Tournament. It had been an enlightening and terrifying revelation for I was sure that I was going to lose my best friend that day. There was something about Kuwabara though. We all saw it, even Hiei, though he would deny it explicitly, and then kill who ever dared to say it. There was something that we all felt needed to be protected. And we would be damned if anything, anything at all, happened to him. Kuwabara had continued mumbling as I followed in preoccupied silence, oblivious that he was talking to himself. I only heard the last bit of it. "She asked for Hiei's help, but he said he can't 'cause of the mission and all. But-"

"What?" My voice cut through the peaceful atmosphere like a gun shot.

Kuwabara brows knitted together. "What do you mean, 'what'? You're the one who approved this mission, aren't you?"

I blinked. "Approved what?"

"You mean you didn't approve it?" Kuwabara voice could only be described as incredulous. He stared at me intently, as though he expected an answer from me. I was still to confused to respond. "Shit! You didn't approve it, did you?!"

I looked at him. "It was previously approved. When Kurama was well, but I thought we had an understanding that he would stay put now that Kurama was hurt." My mind was working at a faster pace than even I thought it could. I wasn't sure if Kuwabara was following. "So to answer your question, No, I didn't. But you know as well as I do that Hiei doesn't need my permission for a mission. It only a courtesy he extends me from time to time."

"Yeah, well,apparently he didn't this time, huh?" His redundancy was making me tired.

"Yeah." It was the least intelligent response I had, but it served its purpose.

"Damn!" Kuwabara swore. "When I find that little punk, I swear I'm gonna murder him! Do you know upset Yukina's going to be?"

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. Hiei and Yukina's relationship was one of complete trust and love. I guess it was his apology to her, for hiding from her all those years. Because of this, he told her everything. That included things that he did not tell me and Kurama, things that he would have keptburied. She was the first person he had told when I had discussed this mission with him. To say the least, she hadn't been happy about it. But she had given him her blessing and made him promise to be careful. "Yeah." I was full of intelligent answers today.

"Damn it! I'm going to find that little brat and beat some sense into him!"

The sound of papers hitting the floor echoed in the hallway, but louder than they was the sound of my own voice. "Kuwabara." My voice was as firm as the grip I had on his forearm. I had not even realized I had grabbed him until his name left my mouth.

The tall burly man looked back at me. His eyes were a mixture of so many different emotions. In them, I saw first anger at the person who had become his brother-in-law. Next, trepidation for what the mission entailed. Finally, I saw the faint touch of pain, for his wife and son who loved Hiei so dearly. Then I saw it, the hidden pain. Pain from himself, pain that he would feel should anything happen to our obstinate friend.

"Kuwabara, you're only going to make him angrier." It was the truth. Despite the major leaps they had made after Kuwabara and Yukina's wedding, there was still a large gap between them that even with time would never fully be bridged. There was really only one option. "I'll go. Maybe I can convince him." There was a small percentage of a chance that I could do or say anything that persuade him not to go, and an even small percentage if Kuwabara went. But then again, there was a hundred percent chance he would follow it through with it if I did nothing.

Kuwabara looked at me. His gaze was calculation, unlike any other I had ever received from him. He stared me down for a good minute before finally allowing the tension to leave his body. "Yeah," he replied quietly. "That would probably be for the best."

I nodded and then bent down to retrieve the papers that I had allowed in my haste to fall to the ground. I shuffled them together quickly and then shoved them into Kuwabara's hands. Kuwabara looked at them, then back at me, confusion evident on his face. "Go and give them to Kurama. Tell him that I always carry through my promises." I had told Kurama I'd give him something to do. I wouldn't break that promise.

Kuwabara still looked confused. "Give these papers to Kurama." I was nearly spelling it out for him, but I hoped Kuwabara got the general idea. _And tell Kurama not to worry, _I thought to myself. Despite my hopes, I knew Kurama would find out about Hiei's plans. If I knew the fox demon well, and I did, he would feel guilty. "Kurama," I told him once more. Then, without another word or checking to see if my friend understood my instructions, I left to go find the most intractable of my friends.

It took nearly five hours, but I finally found Hiei in the exact same spot I had been earlier before Megumi had found me. To say the least, it was ironic, and I could only stand in the shadows, away from his sight and look at him as he stood at the edge of the platform. His bright red eyes gazed over the landscape with an unreadable expression. As I stared, I realized he had changed quite a bit.

His shoulders were slumped more than they had been when we were younger. His face was more angular, and the aura around him was darker and more sinister than I remembered it ever being. His eyes were harder and dark. They showed the toll that pain and hardship had taken on him. Although he had not felt it physically, the mental effectwas beginning to scar him. I felt I was staring at a completely different person.

"Are you going to stand there gaping or am I going to have to skewer you with my katana and then drag you out here?" I sighed. Perhaps he had not changed that much.

"Relax, Three-Eyes," I said in a mock-soothing voice as I joined him at the edge. Hiei would never really change. He would always have that defiant nature that I had admired from the day I met him. It was true. Despite how much I wanted to kill him for trying to hurt Keiko, I could never do it. Perhaps it was good, I mused. After all, he ha become one of my greatest allies. "I'm not looking at you that way. You've gotta remember, I'm a married man." I held up my left ring finger showing him the gold band.

"Idiot," he huffed as he rolled his eyes. I smiled – that was predictable. Hiei had always been touchyabout things like that, especially when we used to tease him about Mukuro. I could remember one time when he had nearly skewered Kurama for a little comment the fox demon had made about Mukuro's very beautiful feminine shape. That memory seemed like it had happened ages ago.

"So, you're leaving tomorrow..." I purposely left the question hanging. Hiei did not take the bait. "Hiei, are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked, turning to look at him.

Hiei didn't look at me. "We've wasted enough time beating around the bush, Yusuke. If I'm going to carry out this mission, then I best do it soon."

"Yeah, but it's stupid to do it if you're not ready!" I argued back. His logic pissed me off.

Hiei now turned his glinting ruby eyes on me. "Yusuke, I'm never going to be ready to hand myself over to an enemy," he said bluntly.

I did not have an answer for that. So, we stood once again in silence. Both our eyes were on the sunset, but our attention was on one another. The silence was stifling. "You don't have to do it, you know?" I said after a few moments. "You could just tell me to shove the mission up my ass."

Hiei looked at me and, in a dry voice, said, "If I wanted to shove the mission up your ass, I would have done it already." Well, that was certainly an interesting reply, I thought. Then again, I expected nothing less from him.

I looked down at my feet. My shoes were wearing away, my like our morale. We needed a definite victory, something to keep the people's hopes up. This mission would do that. And I knew that he would not back down from bringing that kind of hope to the people, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. Even if I told him to not to go, it was not his style. I shook my head. This would be pointless. He wasn't going to change his mind. So instead I moved on to a new topic. "Have you seen Kurama today?" I was getting very good at changing the subject.

"Yes." His answer was Hiei in a nutshell: terse, moody, and short – very short.

"And?" I pressed. He refused to look at me. Instead, he focused all his attention out on to the ruins.

"Well, he obviously can't come with me on this mission."

No shit, I thought dryly. "Yeah, well, I hope you weren't thinking he'd get better in two days."

"Two days?" Hiei asked incredulously. "He won't be able to do much of anything for the next couple of weeks! It's just a good thing we rely on his intellectual prowess more than his physical."

"Yeah." I took a deep breath and asked the all important question. "Have you thought of his replacement?"

Hiei gave me a withering look. "There will be no replacement."

I was momentarily stunned. No replacement? "Hiei, what the hell? Are you fucking suicidal?! You and I both know the whole reason Kurama was going to go in the first place was because we decided you couldn't complete this mission on your own. And now you're not going to bring a replacement?" I was pissed and, apparently, Hiei was equally so.

"Detective!" His voice was as sharp as his katana, and it sliced through my argument as effectively as any blade. "I didn't want to bring Kurama along with me in the first place. That was your idea, not mine!" the demon clarified. "I will have more success with the operation if I go alone. There's no time for me to train a replacement. You know that! Besides-" His voice suddenly became softer. " – no one can replace Kurama."His ruby eyes dared me to challenge his claim.

I could not. He had a valid point. No matter whom he would choose, no one would have Kurama intellect or ability. Those able to match the red-head's physical prowess would be lacking mentally. And those who possessed his intelligence had nothing on him physically. I would be a fool to think otherwise. "All right," I agreed. "I get your point. But that doesn't change the fact I think you should have another person with you."

Hiei laughed. "And when, Yusuke, have I given a damn about what you think?"

He was making a lot of valid points this evening. I sighed audibly. "Fine. Do whatever the hell you want. But come back alive, all right? I don't want to have to chase your ass all over Makai."

Hiei smirked in a way only he could. "I'm a demon, Yusuke. I save your ass, not the other way around." And without another word, he turned and left me standing alone, overlooking the ruined landscape.

"Damn," I said to no one in particular. This day just was not going in my favor. I smiled wanly at the thought. Then again, what day _had_ gone in my favor? Recently, they had all been particularly shitty. I sighed once more and turned from the edge. I looked at the blood-red sunset. "Ironic," I said to no one in particular as the feeling of déjà vu washed over me. With one final look at the setting sun, I descended the staircase and made my way through the long hallways. I had nearly found my way back to my living quarters when a familiar voice called out my name.

"Daddy! Daddy!" That was Megumi's voice. I saw her running towards me with Keiko trailing behind her, a small smile gracing her face. I caught my princess.

"What is it, munchkin? Did something happen?" I asked my excited five-year-old. What could have her this wound up?

"Did you hear?" she asked me, her excitement practically overflowing. "Momma is having a baby!" Megumi practically shouted the news. I looked from my daughter to her mother. Keiko nodded to me.

"I just told Megumi and she was so excited, she had to tell you," Keiko told me, giving me a meaningful look.

"I see," I said, but with my eyes, I asked Keiko, _is this what you really want? _She smiled at me, then looked down at Megumi as though saying; _as_ _soon as I saw her reaction, I knew it was the right decision. _I smiled, "That's the best news I've heard all day," I told my little girl, and it was not a lie.

* * *

Not to be a witch, but seriously you guys, you need to review. I have had approximately five hundred people look at this story, and only nine of them have reviewed. ... that's kind of embarassing. So, here's what I'm going to do: if you all don't start reviewing then I'm going to assume that no one is interested and I'm not going to post anymore. Sorry about this, but it's stupid to write this if no one is interested in reading it. 

Thanks.

Kuramagal


	6. Chapter Five: We All Fall Down

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you are looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Chapter Five: We all fall down**

It had been two days – two days since I had found out that Keiko was pregnant, two days since I'd allowed Hiei to go off on a life or death mission. It hadn't been a good two days, either. And today didn't promise to be any better. Today, we were going on a med run.

While it was necessary for our survival, it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in my opinion. A med-run consisted of four or more brave idiots like myself sneaking out into the ruined city and scrounging around in specific locations, courtesy of Shishi and Shizuru, for supplies and the like. They were always done early in the morning, when the demons were less likely to be around, and always finished just before the demons got really active. Originally, we had allowed anyone to participate in med-runs, but after an instance a month ago, it was decided that only those possessing B-Class or higher spirit levels could participate.

I sighed softly and glanced at the two empty packs that rested by my feet. They were brown, backpack-looking bags and would be used for collecting the supplies. I counted the two of them, and then looked at the team that had been assembled for this purpose. Touya, Jin, Isamu and myself had all been the lucky few who got to go on this med run. I looked at the three others who were looking rather unnerved too. Apparently, I wasn't only one uncomfortable with the whole situation. Night was still hanging in the air, effectively shadowing everything in darkness. There was a faint, chilling and sinister breeze in the air, which did nothing to waylay my fears. I squinted, trying to decipher any of the group member's faces. The only member who I could see in the dim light that came from the compound was Isamu, who was closest to me.

The dark-haired man's eyes were looking out over the surroundings with an unreadable expression. Isamu had excellent sight for even a demon. His sharp eyes could pick up almost anything, and as he looked from Touya, to Jin, I had to wonder what his dark eyes absorbed from the darkness. They flitted from the ruins, only resting on each for a second before snapping to the next. Isamu was no stranger to danger. He had seen his fair share of it on the missions I had sent him on. He knew how to spot it before it was upon him; it was what had kept him alive this long.

"Something wrong, Isamu?" I asked the young man. Although Isamu could be overly sensitive, I knew not to doubt his intuition. If he felt something was wrong, I would call off the med-run. I had had a rather disturbing conversation with Genkai the day before. Something about the old hag's words still lingered with me, effectively making me paranoid.

"_Yusuke," Genkai caught my arm as I passed through the hallways. "I need to ask you something."_

_I nodded, allowing her to pull me off into an empty corridor. "What's going on?" I asked, watching her face for any sort of reaction._

"_I need to know about what happened to Kurama," she said urgently. "About when the building fell. Did you sense anything amiss?"_

_I stared at her, puzzled by the question. "No, nothing. Why?"_

"_Are you sure? Nothing felt out of place. Nothing seemed wrong about the whole thing?" _

_I gave her a puzzled look. What did she mean by wrong_? _"Well," I began slowly, wracking my brain to conjure up the horrid memory. "I did think it was strange that Kurama didn't notice the building falling. To be honest, Genkai, the building was totaled, but I didn't think that it would just fall down like that, especially with no warning."_

"_No warning?" Genkai's eyes were sharp now. "Are you sure? It wasn't swaying or anything?"_

"_No, not that I recall. It just creaked once and fell on top of him. Genkai, why are you asking me this? Shouldn't you ask Kurama?" I was confused by her questioning and a bit disturbed. What was she trying to get at?_

_Genkai gave me a wary look. "I have already spoken with Kurama. I just wanted to hear another side of the story. But as both your stories match, I'm slightly alarmed to find that both of your stories are the same."_

"_Why?" Now she had me getting nervous._

"_Because building do not just fall like that, Yusuke. Usually there is a lot of racket and movement before they topple. For one to just fall like that, and perfectly on top of Kurama is nothing just short of bizarre."_

"_It could be a coincidence," I offered, trying to keep a level head. "We don't know that it was an attack."_

_Genkai's eyes darkened. "I don't believe in coincidences, Yusuke. Even so, I hope it is."_

_I looked at her warily. "Why?" She was scaring me now._

"_Because if it was a deliberate attempt on Kurama's life then it's safe to say that the demons already know that Hiei is coming." _

I shook myself. Genkai's words had effectively terrified me for the rest of yesterday, and even into today. Was she right? Did the demons know that Hiei was coming? And if so, how did she know that? I was shaken mentally by a pair of dark, eerie eyes that rounded on me.

Isamu regarded me for a moment, then he shook his head. "Nothing is wrong," He told me, answering my previous question. It sounded like a double answer to me, and I felt inclined to disagree with him. I kept my mouth shut, though. Isamu, though he respected me, was not one to allow someone to contradict him. Even if I could hold my own against him, it was a waste of both our abilities especially over something so trivial.

"All right." I nodded to him, then looked over to Jin and Touya who were waiting silently. I saw Jin give Touya a worried glance while the latter's back was turned. It was apparent he was worried about his friend's health. While Touya had gotten Yukina's approval for this mission, he had yet to test out his injured arm. I looked at his arm and then up at his shoulder, the source of the injury. Apparently, my eyes lingered for too long, for seconds later I found Touya's ice blues capturing my own.

I hurriedly looked away. "Okay," I said to the assembled group. The last thing I wanted was for Touya to think that I didn't trust his ability to carry out this mission. Despite our difference during the Dark Tournament, I had learned to trust both him and Jin. I might have even considered them to be friends. My friendship with them was certainly not at the level of Kurama, Kuwabara or Hiei's, but it was definitely up there. "Okay let's pair up. Touya, Jin you'll be together. Isamu and I will be another pair. That okay with everyone?"

Isamu gave me a nonchalant shrug. Not that I had expected anything more from him. If there were one thing I could count on, it was Isamu's empathic reactions. The fighter rarely showed any facial reaction of any kind and, when he did, it was usually anger or something similar. I looked over to Jin and Touya, both of whom were looking at each other uncertainly.

Jin was the first to speak up. "Actually Yusuke, I gotta be asking ya if I could be going with Isamu?" I blinked. "Ya see, I don't know that lad that well. Thought this would be a nice chance to meet and greet." Jin laughed lightly. I was still slightly stunned. That was certainly unexpected. Jin and Touya were yin and yang, the black and white. It was virtually impossible to separate them under normal circumstances.

I looked at the three of them and nodded. "Okay," I agreed. "Isamu, you'll be going with Jin, and Touya and I will be together."

Jin smiled brightly. "Well, now that be done, we best be gittin'." I couldn't help but notice the relieved look on Jin's face or the guarded look on Touya's face. It looked like the latter understood Jin's reasoning, even though I couldn't find a reason for it. I just shook my head.

"Okay, we'll each divide up and start our search. Isamu and Jin, you will head northeast." I handed them one of the packs that were sitting by my feet. Isamu took it and slipped it onto his back. "According to Shishi, you should find a supply shop down that way. Meanwhile, Touya and I'll head west." Isamu nodded while Jin gave me a bright smile. "We'll meet back here when the sun is at a forty-five degree angle." It was how demons told time, or so Kurama had told me. I had tried to get Jin to wear a watch, but he would been too interested in the ticking to pay attention to the time, while Touya had actually frozen it because of his icy body temperature.

The other group nodded in unison and headed off. Jin soared contently while Isamu ran easily beneath him. I watched them and then turned to my partner. "Shall we?" I asked while I slipped the backpack on my shoulders effortlessly.

Touya nodded and we set off. It was not an easy trek. The streets were cluttered at best, while most were nonexistent. Rubble and debris littered the once booming streets of downtown Tokyo. It was completely surreal to think that only a few months ago this had been a blossoming metropolis. No more, I thought with a sigh as I saw the remains of what must have been a luxurious hotel. I looked at the cars that were sitting outside of it. It was like everything had been frozen in time, after it had been smashed to smithereens.

But that was not the worst part, I thought as I looked at the cars. The worst were the bodies. The first day we had ventured out to search for survivors, Kurama had forced Kuwabara to stay behind. I had not understood why until I saw the mutilated bodies of two school aged children beside a building that must have been their school.

Even today, bile rises up in me at the very thought and on that day I had retched all over myself. Even I, who thought had seen brutality at its worst, could not handle the sight of something this vile. Hiei and Kurama were more composed than I, but I expected as much. They were demons. For every horrible, terrifying occurrence that I had witnessed, they had seen at least ten equally or more horrendous instances. Such was the way of demon life. Despite even this, I saw the affect these two children had on them.

Kurama's green eyes had hardened, and his slim hands had clenched tightly. "Bastards," he had whispered. The fact that Kurama cursed was enough to know that he was upset over the scene. Kurama rarely, if ever, cursed. It had to be something that truly horrified or angered him to cause a curse to slip from his lips. He was just too polite.

Hiei, on the other hand, had not launched into a cursing frenzy. Instead, he had walked over to the bodies, and knelt beside them. With a steady hand, he shut the children's eyes. Then calmly he stood and came back over to us. It was only when his blood-red eyes met mine that I saw his reaction. "They could have shut their eyes." His voice was steady and emotionless but his eyes told of the hidden emotions inside of him. It was like when Seiryuu had brutally killed Baayako in front of us during our Maze Castle expedition. This instance had truly angered him. His blood-red eyes spoke of untellable pain and fury that would be unleashed should he ever find the one responsible for this brutality.

Kuwabara had been miffed with us, to say the least, when we had returned. I knew he had wanted to tell us off for leaving him behind tell us that we were a team and teams did not do this to their members, but he never did. When our eyes locked, his angry face had dissipated and was replaced with one of uncertainty and fear.

Kuwabara never mentioned that day, and I was thankful. Even if I had wanted to tell my friend what had happened, what we had seen I knew I couldn't. Some things, especially ones like this, are not meant to be mentioned ever again. They are just supposed to rot in our minds and come back to us in dreams, years and years down the line as a haunting reminder of what was long past.

"You might not want to take another step," an urgent voice informed me. It snapped me out of my thoughts and back into the present.

I halted, my foot hanging mid-step, and looked down. There before me was a mess of wire and glass that would have cut through my threadbare shoes and torn my foot to shreds. After hastily pulling my foot back and taking several steps away, I looked back at the ice demon, whose eyes were watching me intently. "Thanks."

Touya nodded. "Don't mention it." His reply was curt but kind – much like he was. Touya had never been a social person and often would stand back to allow others,like his flighty and outgoing friend, to take the limelight. Even in battle, Touya was content to stand back and observe his opponent before attacking them. It was something that defined him. To be honest, I had always thought of Touya as a mirror of Kurama.

"You're like him." Though I hadn't meant for it, I spoke the words aloud.

Touya's ice blue eyes rounded on me. "Who?" The question was like his eyes, perplexed, but interested.

"Kurama," I told him, looking into those depthless icy eyes. It was like walking into a dense blizzard, and it sent shivers up my spine.

Touya's eyes regarded me silently for a few minutes, searching for an alternate meaning to my words. "How so?" he pressed.

I shrugged. "You both just seem a lot alike to me. I can't really explain it, but for some reason, I'm reminded of him when I'm with you," I told the ice demon casually as we climbed deftly over some pieces of a building. "You just act, speak and move the same way he does." I watched with some amusement as he jumped from the rubble in a manner that I had only seen from Kurama.

He landed lightly beside me and cocked his head to the side. "I suppose that I should take it as a compliment." It was neither a statement nor a question.

I shrugged and jumped down from rubble into a ravine-like area. Then I looked up to where he stood atop the debris about nine feet above me. "You can take it however you want. But I meant it only as an observation."

He nodded and jumped down beside me. "Good." We continued in making our way through the rubble. Because of the way the buildings had fallen, we stood in a ravine-like crack between to large buildings. I watched the demon out of the corner of my eye. Touya appeared to be fine, but I still had to wonder.

"Touya?" I began slowly. Blue eyes turned towards me in question.

"Yes?" Those same blue eyes regarded me calmly.

"I was just wondering. Do you have any idea why Jin wanted to go with Isamu? I mean you two are attached at the hip. It's like Kurama and Hiei. I never see one of you without the other."

Touya stopped walking, which caused me to stop as well. As I stood in front of Touya, his icy eyes regarded me carefully. When he finally answered, he appeared to be as confused as I was. "I think that Jin feels guilty." Touya's voice was soft. "He blames himself for what happened a few days ago. I think he thought I would be safer with you."

I tilted my head slightly. "Do you think that?"

Touya shook his head vehemently. "No. Nothing against you, Yusuke, but I've always been with Jin. I know him and his strategies. I've always felt safe with him. And what happened, it wasn't his fault. He couldn't have protected me even if he wanted to."

"Did you tell him that?"

Touya nodded. "Of course I did but Jin's completely pigheaded and doesn't listen to a word I say." Touya looked more than slightly annoyed. His sharp eyes suddenly flitted away from my face and wandered beyond me. Then, they widened.

I turned and saw a sight that made adrenaline course through my veins. Standing behind me were two large, brutish demons. However, by the way their eyes were looking at the rubble around them, I could tell they had not noticed Touya and I. I surveyed them. It was apparent that they were as intelligent as they were large. "I hope your arm is truly healed," I murmured back to the ice demon. I pulled off the pack I was carrying and dropped it behind me. Then, I allowed my spirit energy to fill my body.

I felt Touya come beside me his own energy flaring around him "A-Class, perhaps even higher." His words caused my blood to pump faster. "What do you want to do, Yusuke?" His question struck me as odd at first, but then I realized what he meant.

"We'll stay and fight," I told him. "They're too close to the compound. We can't let them stay put."

"But what if we fail?" Touya persisted. "Then no one will be able to sound the alarm."

I shook my head. "You misunderstand. I'm not going to let them get past me." My words were more darker and sinister than even I knew they could be. As the blood and energy pumped through my body, I felt the familiar change. My body was prepared to fight, and so was I.

They demons turned, sensing our energy but before they could, I had launched a full scale attack on them. Touya had come behind me and was too launching his own attack. The fight waged onward withTouya and I managing to stay close to one another, but gradually we were pulled apart.

While I launched my attack on my demon – a large brute with blue skin and a resemblance to a leopard that was frightening – I could hear Touya's fight somewhere to my right. From what I could see in my peripheral vision, his demon, an even larger brute with blood-red skin and a reptilian body, was dodging both his Shards of Winter attack and as his ice sword.

He was holding his own, and that pacified my fears of his injury rearing up. My demon must have noticed my attention straying because I suddenly felt a hand connected with my face and threw me backwards into the rubble. I landed among the debris with a bone-jarring thud. Once more, he was on top of me. In his hand was something I couldn't identify. "This should keep you down," he hissed menacingly as he slammed the object, that I now realized was a needle, into my chest.

I felt a hot, burning sensation come to the area where the needle pierced my skin. All of a sudden, it felt my body go numb. I frantically tried to move my hand, but nothing happened. Now panicking, I tried to move my head, my leg, my lips, nothing. I was completely paralyzed. The demon laughed at my predicament. "That should keep you down till we deal with your little friend," he told me, and then he leaned forward. I could smell his rancid breath. "Then we're coming for you."

I gave the demon my best glare, but he just laughed, then he eyes lingered on our pack. He moved over to it. From my position, I could see what he was doing. However, I should not have worried about it. Seconds later, he had abandoned the pack and was slowly moving towards Touya. I watched frantically as he drew closer and closer to the ice demon. With a stab of horror, I realized that Touya had no idea that I had fallen, and I had no way to warn him. Panic began to course through my system as the two demons drew in on Touya like predators on prey.

The ice demon had frozen the area around him, but that did little to waylay them. Touya was alert and ready, but that did not mean he knew that my demon was quietly slipping behind him, using the rubble to hide himself. While his attention was focus on the red demon, I watched from a hidden corner in horror as the blue demon raised his hand in a fist then slammed it into Touya's right shoulder with a sickening thud.

The ice demon gave a cry of pain as he fell to his knees, clutching his injured shoulder with his left hand. He took a ragged breath, spinning around to face the two and pressed his back against the wall of debris that the two demons had pushed him against. "Shards of Winter!" I heard him cry. His icy needles flew around him, keeping the demons at bay temporarily, but it would only work for so long. I could practically see how rapidly Touya's energy was depleting.

His shoulder! I realized, as I watched him trying and failing to form his icy sword. Without it, he would only have his shards, and they too would soon fail him. I kept testing my arms out, trying to will them to move, watching and praying all the while that Touya's shards would hold until I could assist him.

My praying was in vain. Touya's last ice defense fell, and I could only watch in horror as the demons swarmed in on him. Fist contacted with his injured form, and soft cries of pain filled the air as the beating continued. Stop it! I thought angrily. Stop it! I could hear the mantra repeating over and over again in my head, never ceasing.

It was like a fire that began burning inside of me as I watched the abuse before me. Stop it! It was unquenchable. Stop it! I thought as their fist contact with his collapsed body. I could feel my body burning in fury. "STOP IT!"

The air rang with my own voice. I reached a hand up to my lips. They had moved? My hand had moved? I looked at the demons, feeling my energy whip around me unchecked and untamed. I was done playing. I was going to kill them. They were going to pay. I felt a blast of energy grow in my hand.

The demons saw it too with wide, almost frightened eyes. I smirked. "I'm going to kill you," I whispered to them as I got to my feet, my energy still flaring around me like a tempest.

The demons stepped away from Touya and turned to face me in challenge. Then, they charged. "I don't fucking think so!" I screamed, releasing the blast. The blue energy left my hand and shot forward, catching both demons, holding their massive forms still in midair for a moment. Suddenly, the energy engulfed their bodies. White light shown all around, and I raised a hand to protect my eyes. When it had dissipated, only dust remained. However, I paid it no attention. Instead, I scrambled towards the fallen ice demon, dropping to my knees beside him.

Touya was lying prone on his stomach. However, when I knelt beside him, his left arm moved underneath him. Before I could say a word, the ice demon had pushed his left arm underneath himself and had shoved his body onto all fours. I watched his chest heave as he tried to regain his breath. Then, he turned his face towards me. There was a large bruise rising on his left cheek. Before I could say a word, he cocked his head and said, "That took you long enough."

I could only stare back at him, stunned for a few seconds. He smirked at me. "Have I really managed to silence you, Yusuke? I've heard that's not an easy task." There was mirth in his voice as he spoke those words. It was that laughter that untied my tangled tongue.

"Fuck, Touya!" I panted, not realizing that I had been holding my breath. "Are you okay? That was one hell of a beating!" I was so relieved that he was all right.

The ice demon nodded slowly. "I was able to protect my vital points. Most of these wounds are superficial," he said, gesturing with the hand of his good arm to his bruised torso.

My sharp eyes did not fail to noticed how still his right arm was or how close he held it to his body. "And what about your shoulder?" I asked. My eyes searched his face carefully, waiting for the change in expression.

As expected, Touya's eyes glanced quickly at his shoulder. Then, they met mine directly. "Perhaps that is not as superficial." His reply was calm and even. God, he was acting like Kurama! My mind screamed.

I nodded. "Let me see it?" Touya didn't pull away from me as I gently pulled back the material of his shirt. I could see both old and new injury mixing. Old bruising and fresh new blended together to form a brilliant and horrendous color palette. I shook my head as I gently prodded the ice master's shoulder. It was by far the worst of his new injuries. Although Touya most likely had no longer felt pain from his first shoulder injury, it was still there. I knew what another injury to a freshly healed one felt like. The very thought of it caused me to shudder. It was too bad those demons were already dead, I thought savagely.

Touya remained still and quiet throughout my entire examination. When I was finished, I began unbuttoning my shirt, looking wistfully back at the empty pack we had brought with us. I wished we had already gotten supplies and I could have used something more proper to bind his wound.

I pulled my shirt off and using it as a makeshift bandage, I gently supported his right arm with my left. Then, I looped the material around and tied it off around his neck. "That should be good for now," I told the ice master as I stood up. "Or at least until we get back to the compound."

Touya nodded his approval and started to get up. I reached out a hand, which he took without complaint, and I heaved him to his feet. As I pulled him up, my eyes traveled up to the rising sun. The fight had taken a lot of time, and it was getting to be time and we would be due back soon. Making up my mind, I turned to the ice demon. "Touya, we need to head back." It was more or less an order, but Touya still protested.

"Yusuke, we haven't gotten any supplies." The ice demon looked slightly guilty.

"I don't care about that. I'm sure Jin and Isamu will get enough for today at least," I told him. I walked over to where I had left the pack before the fight. It was still lying there in a heap on top of itself. I shouldered it and turned to my companion. "Hey, Touya?"

The ice master looked at me intently. "Yes?"

"I want that shirt back," I told him, my tone serious, though I knew my eyes were dancing with amusement.

Touya smiled. "Of course, Yusuke." His tone were calm and even, though his eyes danced humorously.

We returned to the compound in what I would consider record time. Well, considering Touya's injury at least. When we arrived, Jin and Isamu were waiting for us.

"Touya! What happen to ya this time?" Jin asked, rushing forward to greet his injured friend. Isamu followed at a slower pace. I could not tell if it was just his way, or the fact that their pack was extremely full.

Touya held up the hand of his uninjured arm to his friend. "I'm fine, Jin. Yusuke and I ran into some trouble."

Jin's eyes grew wide. "What kinda trouble did ya get into then? I'm not thinkin' that all that debris counts as trouble, Touya." Jin's tone was dubious.

I intervened. "We were attacked." I watched with some amusement and a little fear as Jin's eyes grew wide.

"What ya mean ya were attacked?! By what, the rubble?" I didn't know if he was serious or trying to be funny, either way Isamu looked like he had enough.

"They mean by demons, damn it," Imasu told him, effectively silencing the eccentric wind master.

Nothing was said for a few moments, and then Jin spoke up again. "Well, are ya all right?"

Touya's answer was curt. "Fine." Jin did not look convinced.

I stepped between them. "It will be best if we get him to the med center. That way, one of the girls can take care of him." I looked between the two, and added, "I'll take him. Jin, you need to help Isamu check in all the supplies you got."

Touya nodded. "Yes, Yusuke will take me." His voice made it sound final.

I thought I saw Jin's shoulder slumped slightly, but I realized I must have imagined it when he replied. "Okay! Well then, we best be gittin' off. Don't want that crazy counting lady to be coming after me. Mind you don't be telling that to her." He gave me and Touya a wink before trying to take Isamu by the wrist and drag him off. He quickly pulled his hand back at the murderous glare he got Isamu. "Oh! I be forgetting. Ya don't like to be touched, do ya?"

Isamu gave him a withering look before the two then set off together, heading down the left corridor. I glanced at Touya. "Shall we?"

He nodded, and we proceeded in the opposite direction, down the right corridor, until we came to the medical facilities. There, I pushed open the doors to find it empty. Confusion and mild panic coursed through my body. Where was Kurama?

"Hello?" I called into the empty facility. My voiced echoed ominously. "Anyone here?"

"Yusuke? Is that you?" Keiko came out of from one of the supply rooms and peered at me closely. "Is everything all right? Why are you shirtless? I thought you were supposed to be on med-run."

I looked down at my shirtless body. "We were. And we finished with it but Touya-" I gestured back to the injured ice demon. "-got hurt."

Keiko's brown eyes shifted from me to rest on the ice demon. "Your shoulder?" she asked, noticing the makeshift sling I had created with my shirt. Touya nodded and she continued, "Come, sit over here and let me have a look at you." Keiko patted one of the cots lightly as she sat down on it.

Touya walked over and sat down gingerly. I watched, fascinated, as Keiko's deft hands gently removed the sling and began to examine his injury. Her skillful fingers carefully prodded and poked at his shoulder. They were never hard enough to cause real pain, but firm enough to find the problems. It was truly amazing to someone like me. To see her work somehow made me feel proud of how accomplished my wife was.

"It seems that your shoulder is only badly bruised," Keiko finally announced, removing her hands from the ice demon's person. Her brown eyes regarded him carefully. "You should rest it and ice-" Keiko caught herself. "-rest your shoulder, Touya." The ice demon nodded to her. "If you'll wait here for a moment, I can go get something to use as a sling so Yusuke can get his shirt back." Keiko said, tossing me my shirt, which I donned, before disappearing in the storerooms. When she returned, she carried a small roll of bandages. She sat down beside Touya and created a sling for his injured arm. "There, that should help."

Touya stood. "Thank you, Keiko." His thanks was short but sincere then, without another word, he left the med center. I waited behind.

Keiko peered at me for a second. "Is there something you need, Yusuke?"

I smiled at her. "Jeez, can't a man visit with his wife?"

Keiko's eyebrow quirked slightly at my statement. "Yes, he can, but I have a feeling you're more interested in the whereabouts of your friend than you are in visiting me."

I smiled at her sheepishly. "You know me well."

Keiko sighed. "Yes, and I'm beginning to think that it's a bad thing." She smiled then. "Kurama is fine, Yusuke. Yukina and I moved him back to his quarters today. He kept complaining that it was to hospital-like in here and that we were 'fretting over him' too much." Keiko smiled at the memory. "He is very good at making you feel guilty, you know?"

I gave her an incredulous look. "You're telling me."

"Anyway, I'm glad you are back because I have a favor to ask of you." I nodded, slightly puzzled. My wife rarely asked me to do anything for her. "I want you to bring Megumi to see him," Keiko told me.

I felt my body tense at her suggestion. "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean is this really all that wise?"

Keiko's normally soft eyes shone with conviction. "Yusuke, I know what I'm doing."

I wanted to shrink back at the tone of her voice, but she did have a point. Keiko, before this whole ordeal, had been a trauma nurse. She had dealt with patients and injuries that would have made a normal person's stomach turn. If anyone knew what they were doing, she did.

"I'm not questioning your knowledge, Keiko," I began slowly, trying to tread carefully. "I just wonder if her seeing him like this will have a good effect on either of them."

"You may have your doubts, Yusuke, but I firmly believe this will be a positive experience for both of them." Her tone suddenly grew softer. "Megumi adores Kurama, and he her. She would never do anything that would hurt him mentally or physically."

"Intentionally, she wouldn't. But Megumi is a child, Keiko!" I argued back.

"Unlike you, Yusuke, your daughter possesses more tact at five than you do at twenty-six," my wife shot back tartly.

It was unfortunate that I could not argue with her. I really hated when she made honest points like this. "Okay," I conceded, trying to fight the nagging voice in my head which was telling me all the many ways that this could go wrong. "What do you want me to do?"

"Take Megumi to see him, Yusuke. Just let them see each other. I know they both have been dying to see each other. Kurama's been asking about her every day," Keiko told me.

"All right," I agreed heavily. "Where is she?"

I picked Megumi up from Kuwabara's quarters where she had been having a play date with Yuki. Although she was sad to leave her friend, she perked right up when I told her who we'd been visiting. "You mean I really get to see Uncle Kurama?" she asked as she walked beside me. Her sweet brown eyes sparkled with happiness.

I felt a twinge of concern as I looked down at my princess. What if she was upset over the way Kurama looked? "Now, princess, you have to understand that Uncle Kurama might not look the same as he normally does."

Megumi tilted her head to the side. "Does he still have his red hair?"

I had to smile at her innocent question. "Yes princess, he still does."

"Does he still have green eyes?" she pressed once more.

"Yes, princess."

"Does he still smile and laugh?"

"Yes, I think so, princess."

"Then Daddy, why would he look any different?" Megumi asked me, obviously confused by my warning.

I looked wistfully down at her. If only I could explain it to you, I thought sadly. "Megumi." I knelt beside my little one. "Uncle Kurama will still have everything that you remember him having, but there might be some new things."

Though Kurama would have all the same features, the bruises and bandages would be different. I just did not know how they would affect my little one. We continued down the hall in silence, Megumi contemplating my words and I contemplating my daughter's reaction. I barely registered that were standing outside Kurama's quarters when we arrived. In fact, had Megumi not tugged on my shirt, I might not have noticed at all.

"Daddy, we're here!" she told me excitedly. I nodded and with a steadying breath opened the door.

Kurama's room was much like he was, clean and orderly. Everything had a proper place, and nothing was ever out of it. The small room consisted of a table and chair and a bed, which was occupied by the injured red-head. "Hello," Kurama greeted when he noticed the two of us. He set some papers back onto their stack beside him. "Keiko said you might stop by." This was directed at me, then he glanced down at my daughter. "Hello, Megumi." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Megumi glanced from me and then back to Kurama. Then, without a single word, she walked cautiously over to Kurama's bedside. Her sweet, brown eyes gazed up and down the kitsune's battered form and would widen every now and then when she saw something she did not like. I looked at the eyes of the one being scrutinized to see how he was taking the inspection. I found Kurama eyes watching hers with the same scrutiny. Megumi had never seen him this weak or injured before. In the past when he had been injured, Kurama had always found some way or another to hide it. He would play on the strengths he had. As things were now, his injuries were too widespread for him to hide them.

Minutes had passed, but Megumi had yet to say a word. She just kept staring at him. Now I was starting to get nervous. Perhaps we had had too much faith in her? After all, she was only just a little girl. Making up my mind, I opened my mouth to say something, but shut it almost instantly when I found myself under another's scrutiny. Kurama's verdant eyes darted up towards my own. Not a single word was spoken between us in those few seconds that the kitsune held my gaze. But it was not necessary. I knew what he wanted, and that was for me to keep my mouth shut.

Kurama did not want me to stop or waylay Megumi in anyway. He wanted the truth. He wanted to know what she was thinking. And as I looked down at my darling little one, I found that I too wanted to know what she was thinking. We waited patiently though, both of usknowing that she would have to begin the conversation.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, she turned to me. "Daddy," she said, her tone completely unreadable.

"Yes, princess?" I looked down at her.

"Can I sit up there with him?" Megumi looked at me with her innocent brown eyes. She knew just how to make me completely melt for her. When she looked at me like that, or anyone to be frank, I would do just about anything for her.

"Of course." I heard a voice say. Knowing the words had not come from my own mouth, I shifted my eyes to look at the only other person they could have come from.

Kurama was looking at my little one with resolve. "Are you sure?" I asked cautiously. Kurama still looked pretty banged up to me. His ribs, I knew, would take weeks to completely heal, and his shoulder and leg were another two to three weeks at the very least. The last thing he needed was Megumi to accidentally injure him and set back his recovery.

Kurama nodded. "It's fine." Well, at least he seemed sure about this, even though I was still doubting myself for even bringing her. "Just put her on the bed."

I sighed. I knew an order when I heard one. Reaching underneath my daughter's arms, I gently lifted her up and deposited her on the foot of bed. Then, I took a step back to watch things unfold. At first, Megumi merely stared at Kurama like she had previously. She sat at the foot of his bed watching him uncertainly. But then, she slowly began to scoot forward, moving herself closer and closer towards him.

I panicked. She was only inches away from his torso. I moved forward, knowing little good would come from her getting near, but I was stopped. Kurama gave me a warning glance telling me not to come any closer. I could only watch as my daughter moved the additional feet and scooted herself beside him.

When she was nearly sitting on top of him, Megumi reached out a solitary finger and gently put it on Kurama nose. "Uncle Kurama," the girl said patiently. "Did you get into Mama's makeup?" Megumi asked. Her sweet child's voice was laced with exasperation.

I almost fell on my ass. What had she just asked him? Indeed, Kurama looked just as puzzled. "Your mother's makeup?" he asked, deadpan.

"Yes." Megumi looked at him insistently. "How else could your face have blue and purple on it?"

In retrospect, I would have to admit that her comment made sense. Especially since it was made by a five-year-old who knew nothing of what had really happened to her beloved uncle. Kurama laughed lightly, and wrapped his uninjured arm around the girl, effectively pulling her into a one-armed hug. "I guess I should really be more careful next time, hmm?" he asked her lightly.

Megumi looked at him dubiously. "No, you shouldn't get into it in the first place." Her tone made it sound like she was scolding him.

"Yes, ma'am," Kurama said softly, a smile creeping onto his bruised face. I just shook my head and watched the two of them wordlessly. I listened as Megumi recounted her day with Yuki and how she beat Yuki eight times at the game they were playing. It was a picturesque scene and, like a cure for the disease that was my life, it helped ease my mind.

* * *

Okay so here is another chapter. (hands chapter to readers happily) Okay, so I know this took awhile, but I promise I'm working as fast as I can. With school starting up and everything I really was having a hard time getting this out, but I'll try to get the next one out sooner. As far as reviewing goes, you all were much better this time. I got five reviews out of the hundred people who read this chapter. Not bad, but I would still appreciate if you all would continue to review. It feeds my inner ... demon if you well, and helps me write. So you want another chapter, you review. You find something about this chapter you don't like, you review and tell me. 

Thanks and see you all next chapter!

Kuramagal


	7. Chapter Six: The Rise and Fall

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you are looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**(A/N): Okay everyone, the trail's getting a little rockier now. Now, finally we are getting into the real meat of the story. I know this update took a millennium, but I've had a lot going on in my life that I couldn't control. Anyway, I'll try harder in the future to be more timely. Hope you enjoy what I have in store for the wonderful cast of the characters. **

**Chapter Six: The Rise and Fall**

The wind carried a sinister chill that evening, and as the sun slowly and lazily sunk into the black horizon, a heavy feeling settled around my clenching heart. Something was wrong. Something was utterly and terribly wrong. An unknown trouble lay in my future. It lurked in the darkened edges of the shadows. It watched and waited for me to make a wrong move, and then I knew that, ever merciless, it would jump out and ensnare me.

"Yusuke!" a voice shouted in my left ear. Needless to say, I jumped about twenty feet in the air.

I turned to face Kuwabara, a murderous expression forming on my face. "Can I help you with something?" I asked sharply, grinding my teeth together.

One would have thought with the tone in my voice that Kuwabara would have understood that now wasn't the best time. However, my friend had never been what one would call perceptive. So he continued on, unperturbed by the Hiei-like death glare I was shooting him. "Yeah, actually. Genkai's been looking for you for a while now. She says she needs you pronto." Kuwabara shrugged slightly while he scratched his head with his right hand.

The glare left my face and was replaced by what I'm sure would be considered a look of trepidation. Genkai wanted to see me – Why? From my extensive experience with the woman, she was easily comparable to news one receives. No interest, or no news, was always a good thing, but when she wanted to find me or anyone else, then it meant something bad had happened.

"Did she say why she wanted to see me?" I asked the tall carrot top.

Kuwabara shook his head. "No, she just told me to find you."

I pondered Kuwabara's words as I traveled the long hallway to Genkai's quarters. Why on earth would the old bat want me? My mind supplied several reasons. First, there could be some serious disaster that had occurred, but if that had been it, Kuwabara would have known. It could have been a simple matter like a distribution of food discrepancy, but if it had been something so mundane, she wouldn't have worried me needlessly … I think.

I mulled over the thought in my mind, a sour look taking over my features the more I thought on it. "She'd better not have worried me over something stupid like toilet paper rationing," I though aloud as I stood before her door. With a final sigh, I banged the door open, flakes of the chipping paint clinging to my finger tips, and strode into the room.

"What's going on, Grandma?" I hoped my boisterous tone carried the irritation I felt with her. No sooner had the loud words left my mouth, I found them trail off in quiet surprise. Genkai wasn't alone in her room.

"Yusuke." A husky and chilling voice caught my attention, and my eyes took in the sight of the two beings on either side of my ancient teacher. I felt a surge of fear shoot through me as I saw who stood before me.

"Daichi. Izumi," I greeted each with a nod of my head. "It's been a while." Indeed it had been and the last time I'd seen the pair they hadn't brought good news.

The one who had spoken before, Daichi, nodded. "And like before, my news is not good." I hated the fact that he could read my mind so easily.

The humanoid-looking demon was intimidating enough, being a head taller than I was, but the very fact he could read my mind unnerved me greater than any other. Daichi wasn't what one would call appealing-looking. He had lank, dark hair that hung around his face obscuring the view of his face and giving him a fearful visage that made many demons look the other way. Even so, I had long since learned to trust him. Daichi, despite his appearance's suggestion, was by nature gentle and calm. Only because of the attacks on his people had he turned to a life of fighting. In truth, he was happier living in the shadows, allowed to study and reason with himself. He was one of the great powerful demons that Koenma had mentioned to me when I'd first learned of the portal to the demon world. Apparently, in the demon world, even those to strive for a life of peace still know how to handle themselves in a fight. Daichi had nearly wiped the floor with me the first time we had fought against on another.

It had been at the beginning of this whole ordeal, when I hadn't trusted anyone I didn't know explicitly. Daichi had approached me looking for an alliance. I had thought he was a spy or something of thelike and, instead of listening to his words, had launched a full scale attack on him.

Perhaps I was blinded by my fear or too exhausted and hungry to really fight him, but in five minutes Daichi had me eating the dirt, very literally. It was then, as I lay there completely unable to defend myself, that he truly proved himself to me.

_"You need to save your energy," he said as he reached a strong hand down for me to take. Then, with unwavering strength that belied the intensity of the fight we had only just finished, he lifted me to my feet. "You need to save it for the real bad guys." _

Daichi had proven himself to be a formidable opponent that time, but more than anything he'd proven that I could trust him. He had solidified this trust by giving us Isamu as a guard for my closest friends and family.

"You seem lost in thought, Yusuke Urameshi," the other demon, a female, told me carefully.

I turned my attention to Daichi's right where another human-looking demon stood.Izumi was of average height even for a demon, with mid-length hair of dark ebony tied tightly away from her face. However, her face was her truly defining feature. Izumi's face was lined with scars and jagged cuts that looked as though they had never fully healed. They crossed her once beautiful face and body at every angle, leaving no part unscathed. Her cool grey eyes, undamaged by the abuse that scarred her face, watched everything around her with a critical.

I shrugged at her comment. "I'm wary of your reason for coming here, Izumi." My answer was sufficient enough for her. Izumi knew my reasons for caution. Rare did she or Daichi bring my anything I would consider good news.

The demoness nodded. "And you should be. Your instincts are telling you to be, and they aren't wrong."

Against my better judgment, if I had any at all, I fell into her trap. "Why?"

Izumi and Daichi exchanged glances. Unlike with the other human leaders, they couldn't talk in the demon language in front of me because I knew it. Instead, they had to rely on telepathic conversations to get their points across. It was times like this that I missed Kurama or Hiei. I had never been particularly skilled at invading a telepathic conversation, but my two demon counterparts were obnoxiously good at it. It was one of those things that was good when it was done for you and detestable when it was done to you.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the class?" I demanded as I crossed my arms across my chest.

Daichi and Izumi gave one another one final glance before turning back to me. "Your friend, the demon Hiei." Now I felt chills run the length of my spine. What exactly did they know about Hiei? "He has been captured by the enemy," Daichi's deep bass told me.

His words tore through me worse than any attack. Now, I've never been one to challenge fate. It was something I learned as a teenager. That even the most powerful among us were subject to it, and now as an adult, I'd come to accept that fact. But try as I might, I couldn't accept the information before me. Hiei, one of my best and oldest friends, a person whom I could depend on no matter what the problem or danger, had been captured. I refused to believe it. "No," I told the two before me as I shook my head. "You're wrong. Hiei's too smart for that. Not to mention the fact that I just sent him off."

Izumi gave me a sympathetic look. "We are aware of that fact. He left your base three days ago. He was captured only two days ago."

"That's impossible! How do you know this?" I demanded as my mind reeled at the thought.

"Hiei's position as a spy was compromised," Daichi told me, his grey eyes watching for my reaction. They wouldn't find a helpful one. My mind was so blown by the information that he would have been lucky if I blinked. "We're not sure how they knew his true alliance. It has been the subject of much debate among the groups, but so far most have not questioned his loyalty to the demon cause." Daichi shook his head sadly. "He didn't stand a chance against them. They attacked him the second he arrived."

"What's happened to him?"

"They took him back with them. It's a fortress about a half day's travel from to my border." Izumi's words didn't make sense. Hiei couldn't be captured. I must have been misunderstanding them. Even so, I asked a final question.

"And?"

"They are torturing him, Yusuke," Genkai said, finally speaking up. I nearly jumped when she did so as I'd forgotten that she was even there. I had entered the room. The old woman looked far more exhausted and weak than I had even seen her. Her thin hands were clasped together so tightly that it caused the already prominent veins to bulge out to the point that they looked as though they would burst.

I knew that Genkai had no real love for Hiei. He was not Kurama, whose polite and gentle mannerisms would win over any being with enough estrogen. Nor was Hiei Kuwabara, whose steadfast respect and determination caused him to gain Genkai's ultimate respect. No, Hiei was Hiei. He was terse, short-tempered and downright rude most of the time. Even so, Genkai respected Hiei both for his mental and physical prowess. It was for that reason that she lamented his capture.

"Well, what the hell are we doing sitting around?" I shouted to the assembled group. "I'm not going to let them fucking kill him!"

Genkai shook her head at me. "They are not going to kill him, you simpleton. They need him to answer their questions. If you leave now without a definite plan and are captured, then they will kill him. The only reason he's still alive is because he has value to them. Once that importance is gone, there will be no reason for him to live." Genkai's logic made sense, and as much as I hated to admit it, I knew I couldn't run blindly off to rescue Hiei. "What we need to do is come up with plan. A few extra hours of careful planning will do Hiei more good than running off blindly and getting ourselves captured with him." Genkai's age-old wisdom never seemed to fail.

As I looked at my teacher, I noticed how very frail she looked. Genkai was old. It was a well-knownfact (and I reminded her of it daily). In fact, she had been old when I had first met her at the age of fourteen. But now, there was something about her that seemed feeble and wispy, like she would be carried off by the next strong breeze. Perhaps it was that I had always thought she would be there, but now as I looked at her, I felt a large rock drop into my stomach. What would happen if we lost her? What or who would be there to tell us all what to do? It wasn't until this moment that I realized how dependant I was on her.

"I am not dying anytime soon, so you can stop looking at me like that, dimwit." Genkai's voice was sharp and laced with annoyance that had brought real fear to my mind as a kid. Anytime she had used _that _tone when I trained with her, I knew she was going to just about murder me. Like the fact she always knew exactly what was going through my head.

"Jesus, old woman! Do you have to invade my mind without warning!"

Genkai sighed. "I taught you how to block intrusions. It's your own damn fault if you cannot put it to use!"

She had a valid point there, not that I would ever tell _her_ that. So instead I turned to look at the two other members of the room who had gone silent during our 'loving' exchange. Daichi and Izumi had watched our little spat with calm indifference. Maybe they were just used to fights among people, or maybe they didn't care. Either way, the looks of boredom on their faces were almost funny. "Sorry about that, student-teacher rivalry."

"Understandable," Daichi told me. Had he been the type to crack a smile, his face might have held one now. However, since he was not that type of person, and this was not the right time, so his serious expression remained.

Izumi just shook her head. "We have reliable information that tells us the location of your friend. What we lack is someone with the motivation to get him back." Though it sounded cruel and horrible, Izumi's information didn't strike me as odd. Even though Hiei had aided and helped those who wished to remain free, he was still subjected to their scorn and disapproval for giving aid to the human world.

I nodded. "I understand. He's my responsibility." Despite the alliance Daichi, Izumi and I had made, we still didn't possess a relationship that involved risking our men for one another. We shared news and important information, but that was as far as we were willing to go for one another. After the Mukuro and Yomi's deaths, new leaders had hastily been elected for the provinces. Originally I had known most of the leaders. However as the deaths had begun occurring, I began to know fewer and fewer of them. As things stood now there were only a handful I still knew, Daichi and Izumi among them.

"We will have a team at your border by sunrise tomorrow," Genkai told them. "Then, if you will be kind enough to escort us to his location, we will take over."

"We will see you then," Daichi said with a nod. Then, without warning, in their very demon way, Daichi and Izumi vanished in proper Hiei fashion.

"Demons." I shook my head. "They never give you a proper goodbye."

"That's how they are, Yusuke. It cannot be helped."

"I can't believe it, Genkai," I whispered softly. "How did Hiei get captured? Of all people, I would have thought…" I trailed off.

"He went alone, Yusuke. Against my better judgment, he refused another wingman, refusing to betray his trust in Kurama. In truth, the fault is his alone."

"That shouldn't matter," I replied, shaking my head slowly. "I'm his superior. I should have done something. I could have gone with him."

"You and I both know that Hiei will have no one as his superior. He does what he damn pleases, when he wants to do it," Genkai told me honestly. "You did try, Yusuke. There was nothing else you could have done short of tying him up and throwing him in the bowels of this tunnel." Genkai's eyes found mine. "You did everything you could, Yusuke."

"But I'm the leader, just like when Kurama got hurt. I should have done something." I was mad at myself now. The weakness and vulnerability were welling up inside me. It threatened to overcome my worn-down walls and consume me. As I struggled to find something else to occupy my mind, a lingering thought came forward. It was then that I remembered a previous conversation with my old teacher. "How did you know?" I asked Genkai, my throat dry. My old teacher looked at me with a questioning look. "How did you know that the building falling on Kurama meant that Hiei was in danger?"

Genkai gave me a calculating look. "You know probably know this, but Hiei and Kurama are well known in the demon world. As separate entities, they have track records that any demon would know and thus envy."

I nodded shortly. "Yeah, so? What does that have to do with the building?" Damn Genkai and her logic! Just tell me what was going on.

Genkai must have sensed my irritation, because her tone quickly changed to that of a lecture. "Kurama and Hiei were well-known by themselves. However, when they betrayed all of demon-kind and joined you, they became infamous. Their names became synonymous with the words traitors and human-lovers. Because of this, many were out to kill them and studied their fighting styles. It is well known in the demon world that in your group Hiei and Kurama's skills complement one another best, and as a result they often work together," Genkai explained slowly. "As soon as Kurama was attacked, which is what happened that day, Yusuke. It may have been subtle at the time but,in retrospect, you and I both know that building crashing down on him was no accident. Even completely exhausted, Kurama possesses enough awareness to sense a building's structural soundness. He would never just let something fall on him, or at least not without proper motivation." I found my teacher's addition to be more true than her previous thought, but I held my silence and allowed her continue.

"What I'm really trying to say is that someone has been passing our secrets. Someone close to us let the enemy know that Hiei was coming. That same someone told the enemy that by taking Kurama out of the picture with a supposed accident," the bitterness in Genkai's voice had grown more pronounced, "That they would have an easier time ensnaring our fire demon brat."

"How did you know all of that?"

Genkai sighed tiredly. "Most of it is logical reasoning and late hours of no sleep. But if you notice, all the facts fit, and now with Izumi and Daichi's account, I'm sure I'm correct."

"Do you think Kurama realizes this?" A large weight settled in my stomach. If Kurama knew about this … I didn't even want to think what would happen.

"You have to tell him, Yusuke," Genkai reminded me. "Kurama's a forgiving being, but this is his best friend we are talking about. If you don't tell him about this, he will never trust you again."

Genkai's words stuck with me for my entire walk to Kurama room. Easy for her to say, but how was I supposed to just tell Kurama that Hiei had been captured by demon who were torturing him as we spoke. Furthermore, how was I supposed to stop the red-head from charging off after Hiei, despite his severe injures.

Thoughts of lots of rope came to mind, but since Kurama was a thief, I knew no knot I or anyone else could tie would hold him. In the end, I came up with no brilliant solutions to my dilemma. And so, with a heavy heart, I entered his room.

Kurama's eyes roved to me. He sensed by trepidation. But before he could even question my presence, I asked, "Did they tell you?"

Green eyes narrowed. "Tell me what exactly, Yusuke?" Kurama asked evenly. His voice was carefully guarded, but I could still tell he was unnerved by my words.

"It's Hiei." Although I must have looked composed enough for Kurama, inside I was scrambling for a way to tell this to the fire demon's best friend.

Kurama's mouth twitched and his good hand fisted the blankets. "What about him?"

I took a deep steadying breath very aware of the green-eyed demon's stare. When I was as composed as I could be, I spoke. "He's been captured."

I've seen Kurama looked shocked on a few different occasions. There was the time that the doctor had told him his mother was dying, when we first met. Another time was when he had fought against the first Saint Beast. Finally, there had been his fight with Karasu. But the look on his face now bested all of those. Kurama looked stunned, but moreover, his stunned expression was giving into one of fear, a look that seemed out of place on his normally painstakingly composed face.

"How long?" he whispered hoarsely.

I sunk down on his bed and buried my face in my hands. Kurama waited until I was ready to speak. "Two days is the guess I was given by Izumi." I looked up at him. Kurama's eyes expanded, and the fearful look on his face intensified. "We're going to get him back, Kurama. I promise. I'm going to kill every single one of those bastards who ambushed him," I told the visibly shaken redhead.

Kurama just lay there, completely silent for a few moments. Then, a look of resolve came over his face, and he turned to me and said, "I'm coming with you."

I looked at him in disbelief. "Yeah, right. Do you really think I'm going to let you?"

"Does that matter?" Kurama countered evenly. It was truly amazing in my mind that someone who had had nearly every bone in his body broken only a few days ago could be lucid and alive enough to drive me to the brink of sanity.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation. "Yeah, it does, especially since you can't walk." There was an icy edge in my voice that I'd never used on him, but that didn't deter Kurama.

"By the time you get everything together, I will be able to walk," Kurama told me knowingly.

He was being completely illogical. We both knew that he had at least another week of healing before he could even think about that. But for some reason, the fact that he was being so dense made me lose all thought and reason. So I opened my big mouth and said the stupidest sentence I could think up. "Really? All right then, let's see you walk across this room now before we discuss you accompanying me." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to shove them back in. This was Kurama I was talking to, and Kurama didn't step down from a challenge, especially when said challenge was practically jumping and dancing in front of him

The red-haired man's delicately raised eyebrow indicated just what he thought of my challenge. "Is that all I have to do?" Kurama started to pull the sheets away from his thin form with one hand.

Now I was mad. "I was kidding! Put those damn sheets back on your body. You are going to get sick! Besides, you're not coming with me!"

"Nonsense," Kurama protested lightly as he maneuvered himself to the edge of the bed. "You told me we would discuss it if I walked across the room. I want to have that discussion." Kurama's logic was making me mad.

"God damn it, Kurama! YOU ARE HURT! A fucking building crashed on top of you!" I was literally screaming at him as I moved forward to try and stuff him back into his bed sheets.

I never made it. Kurama shot me a glare that would have impressed Hiei and, as such, it stopped me dead in my tracks. "Don't tell me what I can or can't do, Yusuke!" the red-haired man told me. His jade eyes flashed with a mixture of rage and resentment that I had never seen in them. "Just because you possess the ability to walk, do not presume to tell me I cannot."

"Kurama." The name left my lips as a half-hearted attempt to waylay him. It went unnoticed by the injured redhead who was finished scooting himself to the edge of his bed and was putting his bare feet on the cool concrete. With a final defiant glance my way, he pushed himself to his feet.

As soon as his weight left the bed and was transferred to his feet, I saw his body sway drastically. His eyes caught mine and, with an expression that told me he would throttle me if I came to his aid, he carefully steadied himself using the wall beside his bed as a balancer. It seemed to be an effortless job, as he quickly regained his balance, but I knew it was far from easy for the injured man. Kurama was favoring his left leg, and it caused him to have a slight slouch that was noticeably different from his normal faultless posture. Nevertheless, he sent an insolent glance in my direction and hesitantly took a step. The second his weight shifted from two legs to one, the sway of his body intensified and his collapsed to his knees.

As he collapsed, his arms instinctively came out to break his fall, putting pressure on his snapped collarbone. I felt panic course through my body as he fell to the ground, I couldn't handle this any longer. Apparently, it was all Kurama could handle, too, as he stood clutching his shoulder in agony.. "Kurama!" I shouted, taking a couple steps forward.

"No, Yusuke." Kurama's voice was eerily and sinisterly quiet. Yet even with the curses and shouts that were coming from my own mouth, I still heard it. I stopped myself to look at him.

Kurama's chest was heaving, something that must have hurt like hell due to his broken ribs, and his body seemed to take on the qualities of a leaf in the breeze as it was trembling violently. Yet despite all of this, he was refusing my help. It was then that I realized that even if it killed him, Kurama would try to walk across this room, if for the only reason to prove he could accompany me in our search for Hiei.

Suddenly, I understood something about my friend that had always been there but that I had failed to comprehend. Kurama was by nature a cautious person, both with himself and other around him. However, when those others were in danger, there was nothing short of death that would stop him.

Like a tidal wave washing over me, I realized that even if I physically put Kurama back in his bed, he was get out of it again and again until he got across the room. Even if it took him all night, Kurama was going to walk across this room, and I was going to have to watch him suffer until he did so.

"Fine." The word was curtly said, but I refused to ease up on him. I took a step back so that my back was against the opposite wall. "Do what you want. I'm not going to help you, but I won't hinder you either." If he wanted to set back his recovery, that was his own problem. However, it was apparent that nothing I said or did was going to waylay him. Only by failing to attain his goal or by achieving it would he be stopped.

Kurama gave me a strange look when I said those words. His gaze held a mixture of relief, determination and gratitude. Our eyes only met for a second, and then he looked away. His eye traveled down to his shaking hand that was supporting him. After taking a steadying breath, he pushed himself to his feet.

To say that not rushing to his side in that instance, as his body was swaying unstably, was the hardest thing I'd ever done would be an understatement. I literally had to clench my fists to the point of drawing blood to keep control of my body and stop myself from helping him. It was instinct for me, to help him. I'd been doing it ever since we'd become friends, and it was almost causing me physical pain to not aid him. And when he took his first unsteady step towards me, I swear my face was blue from holding my breath.

By second and third steps, I had relearned how to breath. But when he stumbled dangerously on the fifth step, I almost lost control again. I regained control just as he regained his footing. By the eighth step, I could see a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead and bare arms. By the time he was barely two feet from me, I could hear his ragged breathing as the combined pain and exertion caught up with him. When he was but a step from me and his destination, I could see the tremors that raced through his body. He was at his limit, and so was I. Even so, neither of us was quite ready to give up and so with a final shaky step, Kurama took his final step and collapsed into my waiting arms.

It took a long time before either of us was able to speak, for we were both so drained from the ordeal. However, gradually, I regained my voice. "For being one of the smartest people I know, you are stubborn to the point of idiocy," I told the panting red-haired man in my arms.

I could hear the smile in Kurama's voice when he said, "Yes, and for that reason alone I am able to get what I want."

I shook my head and looked at the exhausted green eyes which glanced up at me from my shoulder. "You are a moron." And still shaking my head, I gently lifted my friend up and carried him to his bed. As a testament to his fatigue, Kurama didn't say a word. He merely allowed me to gently place him on the sheets and drape them around him. Only when I finished did he say something.

"I'm coming with you." It was strange to hear these words from a man who could barely keep his eyes open after a twelve-foot walk across a room, yet I knew he meant them.

"Yeah, I know that. But how are you going to heal by tomorrow morning?"

The red-head opened his eyes for a brief second to say, "I'll have _her _heal me."

I honestly did not mean to look completely clueless, though I am sure I did. The statement caused me to draw a blank and so, for the first few seconds I could only stare at him until the words clicked. "Her? Miki! Absolutely not! You know that will hurt like hell, right?" I asked rhetorically. Of course he knew that, my mind practically screamed.

"I'm aware," Kurama replied levelly. "But I'm willing to suffer through it."

"Oh, you are now? What, Yukina and Genkai's healing powers aren't effective enough?"

Kurama shook his head slowly. "No, Miki's are faster and more effective. My demon energy clashing with Yukina's too much, foliage and ice do not mix well, Yusuke. And Genkai doesn't possess enough energy now to fully heal me. Miki is my best option."

I wordlessly shook my head, realizing that once again there was nothing I could do to change his mind. "You are crazy, you know?"

Kurama nodded and, just before the tendrils of sleep had caught him, he replied, "But that's why I'm on your team, right?"

His words stuck with me for the rest of the day. Even hours later, after the moon had risen to its fullest height, I found myself mulling them over. As I looked over the sheets which informed me of the team I had selected sometime between midnight and two in the morning, I couldn't help but wonder what he meant. Kurama never used words without a reason. That was one thing I had learned early on.

As I made my way to my room for much needed sleep, I found that our conversation replayed once more in my mind. I shook my head as I entered my room. "Tomorrow," I said to no one in particular, and then I climbed into bed beside my wife and drifted into restless dreams.


	8. Chapter Seven: The Death of Innocence

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: Its angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you are looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**Chapter Seven: The Death of Innocence**

"_A-AH!" the scream tore from my lips. I couldn't help it. This wasn't supposed to hurt this badly, my mind thought. She was healing me for god sake! _

"_Please." Her voice was velvety smooth, almost like water. "Please stop moving. You are only causing yourself more unnecessary pain. Please." She was begging me now. Using what little strength I had, I looked up at her. Miki's cool grey eyes were full of sorrow. "It will all be over soon."_

"_St-op!" I told her through clenched teeth, the taste of vomit coated my mouth._

_She shook her head. "No, I won't. It will be better when you wake up."_

"_Stop!" My sight was blurring as sparks of red shot across my vision._

"_Wake up."_

"Wake up," a voice said in my left ear. I snapped awake, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs. It had been a dream, my startled mind told me, just a dream of a memory. Catching my breath, I glanced around. As soon as my eyes adjusted, I found a familiar figure next to me.

"Kurama," I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "It is damn weird to see you standing beside me, especially after yesterday."

The demon smiled and pressed something into my sleep-numbed fingers. "Breakfast," he elaborated when I gave the bowl of gloop a dubious look. Then, he answered my previous stated declaration. "I will admit it is surreal for me too. But Miki's abilities are quite amazing, don't you agree?"

I nodded, still wary of the 'food' Kurama had gifted me with. "Yeah, but how many hours did you spend throwing up last night from the pain?" I knew for a fact that, despite how effective Miki's cure was, it came at a high price.

Kurama shook his head at me. "I'd rather not discuss that. The point I was trying to make is that I am healed now, and you need to eat." He pointed at the bowl.

I gave him a dubious look and lifted the spoon to my mouth. I sighed. I knew it would taste as bad as it looked. As I took another spoonful, I mulled over my friend's condition. True, he was healed, but he was still the craziest person I'd ever met. "I still think that you should have waited." I shook my head at the redhead's paleness and ate a little more. I knew the price and now so did he.

"_Kurama just stay still!" I shouted at my quivering friend. Kurama had prepared himself the best he knew how, but even that wasn't enough. Miki had the most amazing healing abilities out of anyone I've ever met. However, the price for her abilities was agony. Truthfully, I have experienced many types of pain. From intense spiritual pain when I received Genkai's power, to mind numbing agony at the hands of the thousands of demons I have fought. Even with all of this, _I _was unprepared for the agony I would receive at this innocent looking girl's hands. Now, as I looked at Kurama, I realized that he too was not ready._

"_Trying," Kurama whispered. It was strange, for even as I had been begging Miki to stop, I looked at my red-haired friend only to realize that he might be more than I knew. Even as the sweat and, yes, even blood that ran down Kurama's body mingled with the vomit, he was still trying to hold out. It was bizarre. We were in a back room, away from where anyone could hear us. It was late too, in the early hours of the morning. No one would hear us. Yet Kurama refused to scream. It didn't make sense._

"_Please, Kurama." That was Miki's voice. It was a soothing voice, one that belied the power her tiny body held. I glanced at the demure-looking girl. When Genkai had announced her as her new successor, I had laughed._

_I glanced at the girl while I held Kurama's head. The crimson locks were intertwined in my fingers – they looked like blood. Kurama's body writhed, and then he vomited again. It was a weak, pitiful sound that I empathized with. I looked down at Kurama's shaking shoulders. I couldn't handle it anymore. "Miki." Miki looked at me, eyes alert. "Don't you think he's had enough?"_

_The young girl stared at me and then at Kurama. "He said you would say that." She averted her eyes. "He also told me no matter what to continue. I'm sorry, Yusuke, but I'm going to listen to him." I felt her energy intensify and as it did, Kurama's body slumped, and he passed out. "Besides," she added quietly, "I'm finished."_

In all honesty, Miki reminded me of Yukina. While their physical features were different –Miki possessing dark hair and grey eyes - their builds were identical. Miki had perhaps the tiniest body I've ever seen. Her waist was barely as big as my bicep. Yet beneath this demure appearance, the girl possessed some of the most honed and amazing abilities. In just seven moves, had I not been demon, she would have beaten me, and she was only sixteen at the time. And perhaps even greater than her fighting abilities was her healing.

Miki's ability to heal were a great asset, as it worked on all demons and human types and allowed us back on the fighting field earlier than the traditional methods of Yukina and Genkai. However, it came at the greatest price. Miki's healing ability used the natural healing process of our body and then sped them up to super speeds. The use of our own bodies was the reason why she could work on all body types. However, by speeding up our bodies' natural healing time, it was like reversing an injury, and since we only used her ability on those who were seriously wounded, it was agonizingly painful. For Kurama, it had been like reliving all of his injuries, just backward.

"That certainly was an experience, Yusuke," Kurama told me calmly. His words startled me from my reverie "Of course, I'd rather not repeat any time soon if it can be helped."

I nodded. "No shit." I finished the 'gloop' and set the bowl aside.

Kurama's long fingers snatched the bowl up silently, but he didn't respond for a long while. When he did, his voice was a tad too light-hearted. "We should get going, Yusuke." Kurama gave me the fakest smile I've ever seen and then left my room, bowl in hand, in a flash of vibrant red-hair.

I stayed where I sat on the edge of my bed, not willing to leave my wife's side. Here I was warm. Here I was safe. But out there … I looked at Keiko's peaceful face. Out there, I could leave her forever … Out there, death awaited.

Then again, what choice did I have? I pressed a feather-light kiss against her forehead and climbed from the bed. Dressing this morning seemed harder than most. For some reason, I couldn't get it through my brain that my sock was not going to fit over my head no matter how hard I tried. I had similar luck while trying to wear my shirt as pants. All and all, my addled brain finally allowed me to become presentably dressed in about ten minutes longer than it would have normally taken me. Once finished, I turned and entered an antechamber to our 'closet.'

Inside, my princess slept peacefully. Her delicate pink fingers were wrapped tightly around a red ball she had been gifted by Yukina a little while ago. I smiled and remembered how excited she had been. It had been a birthday present. It was hard for me to believe my little darling was growing up. Then again, everything was hard to believe now.

It was harder than I thought it would be to quickly kiss her cheek and leave. If I had my way, I would have curled up and dreamt the day away with her. Instead, I trudged slowly out of our quarters and headed towards the center of the compound, where I knew Kurama would be waiting.

I walked with a blank mind for most of the distance. For some reason, I couldn't entertain any logical or reasonable thought, and thus my mind found it necessary to entertain none at all. It wasn't until I spotted someone in the distance that my mind began to clear.

I saw Kurama's lithe form looming. The light reflected off his red hair and gave the hall a sinister red tinge. Besides him stood the boisterous and tall Kuwabara. At first this threw me for a loop. It was then that I faintly remembered Kuwabara declaring himself part of the recovering team. This had happened late last night, while I was carrying an unconscious Kurama back to his room after his 'session' with Miki.

The tall man had declared that he too would be coming with us today. And being exhausted both mentally and physically, I did not argue with him. However, now I was having second thoughts.

"Kuwabara," I began my voice hesitant as I picked carefully through my words.

He cut me off. "Save it, Urameshi. I've already got Kurama's okay to go. Nothing you say will change that."

Despite my best efforts, my eyebrow rose and, in a clipped voice I said, "Well, I'm glad to know Kurama's in charge."

Kurama, ever the appeaser, was ready. "Please, Yusuke. Kuwabara is the best option. There is no one else." My eyebrows rose at the statement. My mind supplied about six very capable people. However, it was Kurama's next statement that made his intent clear. "Besides, Hiei will not want anyone else to…" Kurama trailed off. But his words hung in the air, and even I could complete them

_Hiei wouldn't want anyone else to see him that way. _Kurama made a valid and disturbing point, one that I had yet to venture. I had been so worried about Kurama's injuries that I had forgotten that Hiei would be our major concern. This thought, above all others, frightened me most, and because of that, I could not think of a valid reason to disallow Kuwabara from joining us.

"Fine." I did not want to fight them about it. "So, are we ready?"

Kurama nodded and reached beside him. There, saw three full backpacks. "These are for you. I have packed them with all the necessities," he told us as he pressed them into our hands. "They should last us three days, though I think that's hardly necessary."

"Good. Are we ready now?" I asked as I shouldered the bag Kurama had handed me, Kuwabara and Kurama doing the same thing. Once finished, they both nodded and we set off.

Leaving the compound was easy, just like heading out on a med run. It was after we left the compound that things became difficult. On med runs, we merely had to stay inside the city, but today we were going to head to the demon world and thus, needed to find a passage. This was often hard as the demons tended to fester and crowd around these holes. It took a lot of planning and expertise to find an open portal.

Truthfully, I was glad Kurama was back. He was far better at planning these sorts of things. "Where exactly is the portal, Kurama?"

Kurama glanced up. "Due east, we should hit it in about ten minutes." That was good enough for me. We headed east, the sunrise shining on us and lighting our path. We arrived on schedule, just as Kurama had predicted.

The portal before us was very different from the ones Botan used to make for us and Reikai Tantei. In the past, the portals had been small, barely big enough for Kurama and me to walk through together. This portal opened by the demons was different. Besides the fact that it was a giant gapping hole that even mere humans could spot easily, this portal was sloppily made. The sides and top were not the smooth edges of the Reikai portals. Rather, the edges of this looked like a line draw by a four year-old with a crayon. But that was to be expected. When the demons had come through, they had not cared for subtly. Perhaps they knew, once here, they would consume everything in reach.

I glanced warily at the botched edges. This would only be the third time I had passed through this portal. It had been ages though since we had been able to use it.

Portal use was dictated by demon movement and use. If the demons had camped around a certain portal they would use that portal more than others. We, not wanting to face an entire demon army, choose portals that were not currently in use. The portals we used were chosen daily. Kurama, as the planner of exposition, had been instructed to use this portal.

As I stared at the familiar rough edges memories came flying back. On my first trip to the spirit world, right after the invasion, I had taken an alternate and more secretive passageway that only the spirit detectives knew about. It has since been destroyed and blocked up.

The other two instances in which I came through this passage were once for a meeting among the leaders of the human freedom movement. The other time … that had been …

"Yusuke." That was Kurama voice. His soft tenor cut through my thoughts and banished them to the back of my mind. A place I should have left them to begin with. I turned to face my wise friend. "It's time." His voice remained consistently oblivious, but there was a gleam in his green eyes that told me he knew on what train my thoughts had been running. His voice now gave me a warning, _not now._

He was right. I knew that, and so did he. Kuwabara remained unconsciously unaware. "Hey Urameshi, Kurama's right. We need to go."

I gave a half-smile and walked past him. "Kurama's always right, you idiot."

I could practically feel Kuwabara's face grow stormy at the name. "Don't make me beat your face in front of all those demons!"

I turned my eyes on him. "I'd like to see you try." Perhaps my voice came out more sinister than I originally meant, but the look on his face changed for a second from our playful banter to something more serious. But as soon as I thought I saw it, it was replaced once more with the playful and teasing look.

"Please, Urameshi. Everyone knows I'm the best human fighter here."

I had to admit he had a point there. After all, I technically wasn't human. "Fine," I said, placating. "You win. You are the best human, but is that really a compliment?" For some reason, I was oddly looking forward to his reaction, a sure sign that Hiei's influence had finally corrupted me.

"Why you! I'll have you know that I-"

I cut him off. "Yeah, yeah, we know. Come on, tough guy. Let's head to hell." I brushed Kuwabara's gaping, fish-like mouth out of my face and started towards the portal. Standing in front of it, I gave it one scathing look before stepping inside.

Heading through the vortex was unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I couldn't even liken it to when Botan had made portals for us as Tantei. It felt mildly like jumping into a vat of jello because the air seemed to compress around you, and it felt like you were pulled through something squishy. All in all, it wasn't an unpleasant feel, just slightly bizarre. But that was my own personal option.

When I emerged on the other side, I looked around. I was standing at the top of a hill. Below me, I could see a makeshift camp – Daichi's by the looks of things. Since the invasion, Daichi and his followers had worked hard to keep more demons from entering into the human world, where 'breeding' as they called it was easier. But I knew Daichi didn't do this out of love for humans, it was merely to keep the groups he despised away from his people. Regardless, I was grateful for it. Without him and others like him, we would have all died out for sure.

When we had first started meeting with the groups of 'demon traitors', I had been wary and unsure of who was trustworthy. Throughout the year since the invasion, we had only met a handful of times but each of those times had been important. The first had been to discuss the division of territories after Yomi and Mukuro's murders. I could remember that meeting vividly in my mind. It had been utter chaos with all the demons vying for places among the leaders. Eventually, after a few insignificant (according to the demons) deaths, the leaders had been established. Among them were Daichi, Izumi, two more whose names I had yet to know, and finally the last leader, Mana.

"Man, Urameshi I've always hated going through that vortex thingy."

"I'll have to agree with you. I'm not partial to it, either."

I turned around to see my two friends standing beside one another at the base of the portal. "Hey guys," I said. "Thanks for joining. What, did you get lost?"

"Cute, Urameshi! Whoa!" Kuwabara said as he looked around the panoramic view of the hill. "Where are we?"

I couldn't honestly say the demon world was beautiful. But there was something about it that could be considered ethereal, perhaps. But that didn't matter. The amount of blood shed here made up for nothing. I shook my head at my friend. "I thought told you," I said, as I passed by him to descend the hill. "We're in hell."

The walk down the hill was surprisingly silent. I don't know if it was my 'delicate' choice of words or Kuwabara's sudden streak of tact (I would bet on the latter), but no one seemed in the mood to talk. Not that I could complain. I wasn't relishing the idea, either.

We entered Izumi's camp, or garden of tents, with little to do. Save the three large, brutish-looking guards that greeted us, we didn't meet anyone. When we mentioned Izumi, one of the guards, the one that seemed to brightest of them all, led us through the maze of tents until he stopped before the most elaborate-looking of them all. We thanked him and were about to enter, but before we could do so, someone stepped out of the tent.

Izumi looked particularly shaken. When she spotted, us she glanced back at the tent. Then, in her calm voice, which seemed slightly forced, she said, "You're here."

The statement was rather redundant. "Yes." I agreed, not entirely sure where this was going.

Izumi, seemingly awaked from her stupor, looked at Kurama. "I see you're finally healed, Youko." Although Daichi and Izumi attempted to get along with Kurama, they just couldn't quite keep the scathing tone out of their voices.

"Indeed," Kurama replied, not even batting an eye. "Wonderful to meet you again, Izumi." Kurama said with perfect politeness.

Izumi did not reply in like. "You are here to retrieve your friend, correct?" she asked, looking back at me. I nodded. "Very well, come with me."

Izumi led us away from her tent and toward another which she entered and emerged from a second later with a map in tow. "This map has been marked to specifically lead you to where Hiei is being held.

"My boundary guards know you are coming. They will not detain you, but you should not expect help from them either." Izumi handed me the map. "I wish you luck."

I nodded. I had not expected anything more from her. Demons were all alike. They wouldn't risk their life or the lives of others around them for someone who they didn't know or care about. It was the main difference between them and humans – that and the supernatural powers thing. "Thank you." My thanks was sincere. Izumi had held her part of the bargain. Now I needed to find my friend.

Izumi nodded, and then entered her tent again, leaving the three of us alone. I handed the map to Kurama. "I hope you can understand this." My tone was playful, but I was serious. I learned before that Makai maps were perhaps the most confusing thing in the world to understand.

Because all demons had ego problems, they never could honestly say where their territories ended or began. While stronger demons like Mukuro and Yomi had no disputes over territory, small lords would often draw lines into territory that was not theirs, all to make their own appear larger. While it may not have seemed important, it made reading a map damn near impossible unless you were from the area.

Kurama glanced over the map quickly. I watched his green eyes rove from spot to spot before he nodded and looked back up at me. "Izumi's cartographer is skilled. This map is easy enough to read." Kurama glanced once more at the map. "And I think if we hurry, we might be able to make the half days journey in even less time." Kurama was looking directly at me now. "I think that would be the wisest decision."

Kuwabara and I glanced at him. "You're saying to go faster?" the tallest man asked, slightly bewildered.

"Yes." Kurama glanced at the map again and then spoke. "I worry how much longer Hiei will last."

Something about this seemed off to me. Why was Kurama suddenly so worried? "Kurama, what's going on?"

The red-haired man's eyes looked into mine. "I have met these demons before, Yusuke." Kurama didn't say anything more after that. He merely stared at me, but the tone he used implied something far more horrendous than just a meeting. I could practically hear the finished thought ringing in my mind. _I've been tortured by them, Yusuke._ Realization dawned on me.

"Okay, you two need stop doing that demon communication thingy. Especially when I don't know what on earth is going on!" That was Kuwabara's voice, and he sounded confused.

"Forget it, Kuwabara. Kurama knows these guys, and knows they're bad news. We need to get moving." I paused and, with a devious grin, turned to my oldest friend. "I'll race you."

That got Kuwabara's attention. "Oh yeah? Well, don't think you'll win Urameshi because I-"

I had already raced off. I was just finding my rhythm when Kurama's loud voice said, "Yusuke, you are heading in the complete opposite direction." I glanced back to see Kurama pointing the other way. I also noticed Kuwabara taking off at the speed of light in that direction.

"Damn," I cursed, speeding up to catch the two redheads. The first I caught was Kurama, who looked at me reproachfully.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Kurama asked as we ran alongside one another. His voice was in a whisper so that the taller man who ran just barely ahead of us could not hear him. "I think he deserves to know."

"It's your comment to make, why didn't you say it?" I retorted. My eyes were caught by vibrant green eyes. Eyes that looked angry.

"I have my reasons. One of which being that I am different from you, Yusuke," Kurama's voice was barely at a whisper now. "I find it hard to admit to my flaws. Others, Kuwabara especially, expect me to be levelheaded and perfectly understand every situation we get ourselves into. You don't understand how shaken he was when I was nearly killed during the building collapse." Kurama's voice was harder now. "I may have been barely conscious, but I could sense that much."

"Kurama, we both were shaken," I admitted quietly.

Kurama shook his head slightly. "It's different, Yusuke. I know that's hard to believe, but it is. Kuwabara is still …" Kurama paused, and I saw his eyes glance towards the tall man who ran in front of us, oblivious to the in-depth conversation going on behind his back. "Kuwabara is still young, Yusuke, more now in mind than body. His mind, while fine for a twenty-six year old man, is not strong enough for a demon hunter, a general in this war. He still looks to us to correct all wrongs." Kurama's logic was now flowing together. "Kuwabara depends on all of us for different things. Me for my intelligent and quick-thinking, you for friendship and ultimately protection, and Hiei …" Kurama stopped.

"Hiei for what?" I pressed, suddenly very anxious.

Kurama looked at me sadly. "Hiei for his unwavering strength and control of all situations. Kuwabara understands that Hiei has been tortured. But Yusuke, he really doesn't know. Kuwabara expects Hiei to be alright, that we will unchain him from a wall and that he will walk out of there with us." Kurama paused for a seconds. "I may not know everything, but I do know that the only way Hiei will leave is in one of our arms."

I looked a Kurama in horror. "Then why the hell did we bring him with us?"

Kurama averted his eyes and looked forward. "Perhaps, it time for him to stop depending on us."

"What? Why? Kurama, what the fuck are you thinking?" Now I was mad.

Kurama's eyes remained ahead. "I just worry what would happen if the three of us should die," Kurama whispered quietly. "Who would Kuwabara turn to then? He needs us, Yusuke, and that cannot be any longer. Regardless of whether you believe me or not, we have babied him for too long." Kurama stopped and looked at me. His eyes bored into my own. "We tried to continue our job from when we were kids, but now it's time for him to stand on his own two feet." Kurama's eyes found Kuwabara, and then he looked back at me. "As much as I regret it."

I shook my head. "You have some pretty fucked-up logic."

A smile colored his lips. "Perhaps I do. Although that's better than my original reason."

"Which was?" I prompted.

Green eyes gazed at me intently. "That I didn't want to be the only one Kuwabara saw fall." Kurama looked me and, for a second, I thought I saw golden flecks in the green of his irises. I sighed. "You know, you're a pretty selfish person."

Kurama nodded unabashed. "I'm a fox demon. I warned you – our greatest weakness is our pride."

I didn't respond. I had always known who Kurama was and what his true personality could be like. I just chose to ignore it. I still wanted to believe he was our friend, the quiet and intelligent young man whose life I saved all those years ago. The man with whom I began a friendship of unheard-ofproportions.

I knew we had something different. We were more than just friends, more than best friends – we were brothers. True, we all were pretty damn different and had the most varying personalities I'd ever seen, but yet we all had that same inner drive and determination.

When we arrived at the fortress where Hiei was being held, it was sunset. The rays of dying light cast shadows over everything including the stone and steel fortress that seemed to come out of the very earth itself. I looked at my two friends. "Ready?" I asked. They gave affirmative nods, and with them at my side, we charged the fortress.

Together, we plunged down tunnel after tunnel, killing everyone in our way. The demons we found were not particularly strong, but Kurama had changed into his demon form. It was probably a good thing too because, as we got deeper into the bowels of the stronghold, the demons began getting stronger and more ferocious. Ultimately, we meet a group of several strong demons, and the three of us were separated.

I found myself battling a large greenish-grey brute whose power was that of an A class demon. "Where is my friend!" I shouted, raising a hand full of energy to pummel the demon before me.

The demon caught my hand and, with a smirk, hissed, "Dead already, I thinksss."

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. Shock numbed my body. I barely noticed the demon throw me across the room. The rubble that tore into my back was like nothing compared with the horrible gut-wrenching feeling that had settled in my stomach. Were we too late?

"Poor little fire demon, screamed he did. Especially when they started to cut off his hand-"

I cut off the demon's words in the only way I could, by hurling myself at him. I was livid, and the demon started laughing. My whole body was shaking in my fury. I could not think straight. All I knew was that I was going to silence the demon before me. I was going to do it in whatever way I could.

Dragging the demon's laughing body up, I threw him against a wall and began my full assault on him punching and kicking whatever I could reach of him. I could hear the wall begin to crack under the intense pressure of my blows. Blood splattered my face from the demon's mouth, but I didn't stop. Nothing could make me stop now.

I pulled back my fist and delivered one final blow. The stone wall suddenly shattered like glass from my punch, and the demon slumped into the rubble, dead. There was a room behind the wall. It was filled with dust from my blows. Curious, I entered the room. As I walked through my own personally-made doorway, something dripped on my shoulder. I tried to wipe it off only to realize that it was sticking to my fingers. A second later, I realized the substance was blood. It was dark though, probably ages old, yet for some reason it was dripping from the walls. My hand clenched and I looked up.

As the dust cleared, I saw something that made my heart stop. A body was hung up on the wall opposite me, a small body. A body that looked oddly familiar. Tripping over the rubble in my haste, I ran with weak and shaky legs over to where the body was hung. The dust from my destruction was still clearing, so I could not be sure, not until I touched. I lifted my hand and, with trembling fingers, I touched the face of the body.

It was a small, almost childish feeling, face. But that wasn't what I was looking for. Gently my finger reached toward the figure's forehead, where I found a groove. Pushing the groove aside, I was met with a glimpse of the Jagan Eye. My heart was beating furiously as I moved my hand down to Hiei's neck, my fingers deftly feeling for a pulse.

They found nothing.

Tears started to prickle in my eyelids as I continued my search. I still didn't find anything. A tear trickled down my cheek, and I pushed my fingers harder against his neck. "Come on, Hiei. Damn it! Don't do this to me!"

_Thump…_

I nearly jumped in fright. What the hell was that? I moved my fingers back to where I had felt the thump. Finding the spot, I let my finger rest there, hoping it wasn't just a figment of my overeager imagination. Sure enough, the first thump was followed by another.

I felt my legs grow weak with relief. Hiei was alive. My heart was racing with happiness. In all honesty, I have never been that happy before in my life. Relief was washing through me at such a rate, I felt like laughing. My friend was alive, and I promised myself that he was going to be all right.

My relief began to ebb away as my eyes took in Hiei's tormented body. The dust from my attack had hidden a lot, especially with regards to the extent of his wounds. But now, as the air cleared and the last flecks settled, I was able to see the full extent. It was then that I honestly wondered if he was truly better off dead?

Hiei's body was drenched with blood. Some places, like around his eyes and nose, the blood was dry and dark brown. Other places, like his ears, I could see fresh, red blood dripping. His face, with all the bruising, was almost unrecognizable. His bare chest was covered in lacerations, and from the blood I could see dripping down the wall, I knew his back could only look worse.

He was completely nude, but the blood had covered him in a grotesque way, like a red cape, that set off his pallid skin and gave him an almost translucent appearance. The chains against his body which held him to the wall where heavy and dark, and I wanted them off him. I bent down and crushed the chains which held his legs in place against the wall. The one around his waist would not be hard to remove. He was so thin that I doubted that it was even working anymore. Hiei's body could have easily slid out of it, had he had the strength to do so.

I crushed it. Next, I moved up the chain on his left arm. It was easy to remove, though I noted the raw skin from his obvious attempts to escape. I gently took his hand from the manacle, while I supported his body with my other arm. The only thing holding Hiei to the wall was the manacle on his right hand. One more and he would be free…

I reached over to crush the manacle, my eyes remaining on Hiei's face. I withdrew my hand quickly, finding the chain to be wet and slippery. Surprised, I looked up and found the answer to my question. The manacle was coated in blood, Hiei blood. I found its source. Hiei's right hand looked to be severed at the write. My eyes stared in shock at the demon's hand, which was just barely attached by a few fibers. However, what truly enraged me and sent my blood boiling was the nail that held Hiei's arm against the wall.

The crude piece of metal had been hammered into the stone wall. I noted in anger the bruised and bloody arm and then my anger left and all I had was revolution. I wanted to vomit and, as I cradled Hiei body close, I knew what I had to do. "You have to be free," I whispered, and then I crushed the manacle around his nearly-severed wrist. Clasping the joint so not to tear any more of the fibers, I pulled the nail, which was slick with blood, from his arm and sank weakly to the floor. Then, with Hiei's body cradled in my arms, I removed my shirt and I wrapped a tourniquet, around Hiei's upper arm, to steam the flow of blood.

I wanted to pick him up and carry him away from all of this. I wanted to get away so badly, but there was one more thing I had to do, useless though ti might be. Gently but firmly, I grasped Hiei's nearly-severed wrist. "Yukina can fix that," I told the lifeless looking demon. "I know she can." I adjusted the knotted the fabric, checking for security. The words were for my own sake, but I had to say them to someone.

My arms, ever steady, reached under Hiei's body and lifted him up. He was light, far lighter than he had been before. _Yukina can fix that, _my mind prompted. Why I was so fixated on Yukina's suddenly amazing ability, I will never know. Unfortunately, it is not that I wouldn't like to have continued that train of thought, indeed I really would have. However, all thoughts of it and everything else left me when I turned towards the door. Surprisingly, I found it already occupied.

Kuwabara stood there. The dim light of the room shadowed part of his face, but I could still see his eyes. They were filled with hatred. In the still, tension-filled air I could hear Kuwabara's breath coming in short gasps as he tried to regain control of his emotions.

"They did this too him." I could not tell if Kuwabara's voice was shaking in rage or with suppressed tears.

I nodded and when I did, Kuwabara took a swing at the wall. Once more the room was fogged up by a cloud of dust. It took a while for my eyes to adjust, however when they did I saw Kuwabara's retreating form. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Kuwabara didn't answer. Making a decision, I gently removed Hiei from my lap and sprinted across the room, and grabbed Kuwabara's arm. "Hey, I asked you a question!"

Kuwabara looked at me, his face was pure white in his rage. "I'm going to kill everyone of those mother fuckers." The tall man looked crazed. However, I couldn't dwell on that.

"You can't," I told him clasping his hands in mine. "We have to leave, Hiei-"

Kuwabara cut me off. "-Hiei would want revenge. Hiei would get revenge if it was any of us." Kuwabara had that maddened gleam in his eyes. "And I intend to do that same for him."

"Kuwabara, we-"

"Urameshi, get the hell out of my way!" Kuwabara tried to shove me aside. It was at that point that I lost my composure.

"Look at him!" I was shouting as I pointed a shaky finger at Hiei's helpless body. My temper had slipped from the edge it precariously teetered on, and I had been powerless to stop it. However, I did not care. "Look at Hiei, Kuwabara! Look at him! Do you fucking think he can stay here and wait around while you get your revenge? He is dying, Kuwabara!" My voice was barely a whisper when I said, "We have to go."

Kuwabara's blue eyes had remained on me throughout my rant. However, now was the first time I noticed how they had changed. The rage was gone and in its place hollowness had taken over. Kuwabara had been driven by fury, but now as he realized the full extend of what had happened to Hiei, he found himself helpless.

Kuwabara knew that it wouldn't matter how many demons he maimed or killed. He had not save Hiei, and the dead rag doll that lay on the cold floor was Hiei. Blue eyes looked from me to Hiei and then back again. Those eyes remained dead. Kuwabara didn't say a word. He just watched, and I knew then that Kuwabara I once knew had died. That saddened me more than anything, for it was the death of innocence and that was something not even Yukina could fix.

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	9. Chapter Eight: The One That Remains

**In the End  
Kuramagal**

**Genre: Angst/Drama**

**Rating: T (for now, though as the story progresses it might go up)**

**Summary: We've played the game of running and hiding, but how long will it be until we can no longer continue?**

**Warnings: It is angst/drama for a reason, meaning that it's not going to be a happy story, so if you are looking for an uplifting and soulful story, you've come to the wrong place.**

**(A/N): A slightly shorter chapter. However, it accomplishes everything I wanted it to. Just a note, this chapter is very important and, from here on, things are going to start making sense. … Oh and there's a little surprise/twist at the end of this chapter. So sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Eight: The One That Remains**

"We need to stop."

I turned to glance at the speaker. Kurama appeared surreal. The dying sun crowned his red hair, the thick locks melding into the fiery background. His tattered and loose clothing rustled in the cool wind that tossed the leaves around us ominously. He looked so different from the person I once knew. He was thin beyond the point of looking lean, and it caused his once classically beautiful prominent cheekbones to jut out of his face awkwardly. Even so, he was still a beautiful creature. There was something unnatural about him, like nature had taken him and created him of everything earthy and beautiful. Even the wind seemed to enhance this etherealness, and I watched as it lashed a vibrant tress this way and that, and then it gently rested the crimson lock back on my friend's shoulders. I watched as the last piece of brilliant red hair lazily blew downward. However, instead of landing on Kurama's thin shoulders or down his back, it dropped into the hair of the half-dead fire demon who Kurama toted carefully on his back.

I shook my head, pulling myself from my daze to answer my friend's request. "We aren't even halfway there, Kurama. If we stop, it will take us even longer to get home. That will delay Hiei's treatment even more."

Kurama shook his head, ever more persistent. "We cannot go on anymore, Yusuke," Kurama said. I watched as his green eyes sized up the area around us, seeing if it would make a suitable resting spot.

While Kurama appraised the surroundings, I saw Kuwabara glance worriedly at Kurama. "I can take Hiei for you, Kurama." Kuwabara extended his arms towards the other redhead, exposing his bare chest more to the cool wind.

Kurama's eyes snapped back from their wandering to look at Kuwabara. Then, he shook his head. "I'm fine, Kuwabara. My injuries are not hindering me," the fox demon told him. His glance then fell back on Hiei. "However, I am uncertain of how much more travel Hiei's body can withstand." Kurama shifted the fire demon. The movement caused the makeshift tunic we had created from Kuwabara's shirt to shift and expose more of Hiei's battered and bloody body.

My heart clenched painfully as my eyes took in the damage inflicted on the small form. Hiei's face appeared to be nearly translucent. Even the dying light, I could see how serious the wounds were, and the more I saw the more I felt my hope decline. Hiei was dying with each moment that passed – I knew this much. However, if we tried to move too quickly to get back to the compound, we would kill end up killing him still.

My decision, regardless of whether I liked it or not, had been made for me. "Fine," I allowed, "but where will we stay? In case you hadn't noticed, Kurama, there seems to be a lack of hotels out here." I disliked myself for having to revert back to sarcasm. Being sarcastic was my defense mechanism. I only used it when I felt everything was out of control, and right now I was letting my friends, the ones who depended on me, know just how worried I was.

"The lack of hotels is of little consequence to me." Kurama's calm and smooth voice floated over me. "We will have to make do with what we have." Kurama then turned to Kuwabara. "Will you take my blanket out of my pack and lay it on the ground?"

Kuwabara nodded and dropped Kurama's backpack, which he had shouldered when it was the red-head's turn to carry Hiei. Kuwabara shuffled through the items quickly. Once he found the soft grey blanket, he unfolded it and placed it neatly on the ground. Kurama then gently lowered Hiei's battered body to the ground and nestled it in the blanket. The fire demon's body looked even worse against the grey blanket.

When Kuwabara and I had first left the fortress, we had found a red-haired Kurama waiting for us. Immediately, he had taken Hiei from my arms and began examining the extent of his wounds. Kurama's eyes had remained calm throughout the inspection, but from the way his hands would occasionally clench into fists, I knew he was furious.

Now as the same hands traced over the body, both Kuwabara and I felt the same helplessness we had only hours before. Although we had learned several medical tricks and practices, neither of us would be any good in this situation. Hell, as Kurama put it, most of this was beyond even his skill level. Kurama was preoccupied with Hiei, and so that left the two of us to find jobs to do.

"Okay, which do you want to do more, prepare the food or gather fire wood?" I asked my friend.

Kuwabara did not answer at first. His eyes were trained with horrified fixation on Kurama's ministrations to Hiei's destroyed body. Only after I called his name a few times and moved in front of his line of vision did he snap out of his trance. "What?...Oh, I'll cook," he sputtered.

It was not the choice I would have given him, but I allowed it and began moving around the camp's boundaries searching for wood and also predators. Night crept over the campsite we had made. The warm light from the sun vanished. It was replaced by the haunted and eerie fire light, which tossed flickering shadows over anything it touched. We all sat there, huddled around the blaze.

Kuwabara busied himself with our dinner, the one we all had little appetite for. Kurama constantly checked and corrected Hiei's condition, which we all knew would be destroyed by the next day's travel. And I did what little I could. I fed the fire and hunted for more wood, all the while listening for enemies I was sure were around us. We all worked like possessed men and let our tasks take us without thinking. We were all so consumed that, before long, I realized I had enough wood to last us for the next several days. Refusing to give into the urge to curse, I dropped a final log on the extensive pile I had accumulated and sat down on my large wood pile.

From my seat, my eyes trained themselves on my companions. Kuwabara and Kurama, still having jobs to do, paid me little heed. I jealously watched them through the smoky air, hoping to find something in the process to take my mind off what I was now remembering. It was futile, although I did realize something during the process. The meals Kuwabara had been preparing had been finished for ages, and if Kurama checked the bandage on Hiei's arm once more he would run the risk of overexposing the wound.

Making my mind up, I stood from the wood pile and walked over to take one of Kuwabara's carefully prepared meals. The tall man didn't even notice me until the knife in his hand almost took my fingers off as I reached for the tray nearest to me.

"Ah! Urameshi! Damn, you scared me! I could of taken your fingers off!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he brandished the cutting knife dangerously close to my face.

"Easy, man. You're not taking anyone's fingers anywhere." My words seemed to placate the other man who had been in reverie so deep, I do not think even his superior spirit awareness had noticed me.

Our conversation got the attention of Kurama, who said, "Please don't take his fingers off today, Kuwabara. I don't have enough bandages." I am not sure whether Kurama was serious or not. Either way, he got our attention.

"How is he, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked as he handed Kurama a tin bowl of food, which the fox demon accepted with a gracious thank-you and promptly set beside himself. I knew what would become of it. Kurama would try to feed it to Hiei and us later. It was his way, his code, to give as much of himself as he could, until everything came crashing down around him and he found himself once more on death's doorstep.

I was not going to tolerate it this time. "Kurama," I said, my voice resembling an angry parent. "Eat that food. Hiei's jaw is broken. He's not going to be enjoying anything like that for awhile. Besides, I'm pretty sure when he's hibernating he doesn't eat."

Kurama's green eyes glared at me. Apparently, I was toeing a very dangerous line right now. "I'm not entirely sure that Hiei is hibernating, Yusuke." The man's voice was calm as it always was. However, I was fairly sure that the bit at the end of his voice was his anger showing through.

I was not going to allow myself to be fazed, however. "Just eat, Kurama. If Hiei wakes up and wants something to eat, I'll go and hunt him something myself. But the way I see things right now, we can't feed Hiei what we have with causing him undue pain. So why force the issue?" I knew I had made a good point, because Kurama did not argue back. Rather, he sullenly picked up the bowl and took a bite of the contents.

Dinner was a silent meal that night, not that I expected differently. Kurama was furious with me, Kuwabara was too tired to argue further, and I would rather wallow in guilt and anger than talk with them. We made a lovely group. The rest of the night would have been silent too, had we already planned the watch. We had not. But Kurama corrected that easily.

"I'll take first watch. Kuwabara can have second, and Yusuke third." With that, the fox demon lowered himself on the ground beside his injured companion and began checking all of the dressings and bandages for the umpteenth time.

Kuwabara and I, deciding it was best not to argue, unrolled the two remaining sleeping bags and curled up inside of them. Whether it was the day's events or the mental trials we had undergone, we soon found ourselves more tired than we ever had been. As soon as the warmth of the sleeping bags enveloped us, we were asleep.

Some time later, my eyes sprang open. The air was horribly chilly and I didn't know what time it was, but judging by my inner clock, I was pretty sure we were well into Kuwabara's watch shift. That was why I was very confused to find him snoozing away in his sleeping back. I was going to wake him. However, catching sight of Kurama still beside Hiei, and I decided against it and instead went to speak with the red-head.

I approached Kurama from behind and in a soft voice said, "You didn't wake Kuwabara. And don't tell me you didn't think it was time. I'm pretty sure you have the best sense of time among us." My words were not a question.

Kurama's green eyes glanced up at me and his hands froze in surprise. Although not many would know this, I had startled him. I could tell by the reproachful look in his green eyes. If there was one thing I knew, Kurama did not like being surprised.

"No," he acquiesced calmly apparently over his startled fit. "I didn't. Hiei had a fit. Kuwabara would not have known what to do. I did not want to leave Hiei to him like that."

I sighed. "You used to be a much better liar, Kurama." My announcement made him laugh.

"Really, Yusuke? Maybe instead it is that you are less naïve and not willing to agree to everything you hear." The demon's words made sense. After all, I knew he had not gotten any worse at anything.

"Maybe," I offered amicably. "But that doesn't answer my previous question. Why didn't you wake Kuwabara for his shift?"

Kurama glanced at me now. "Let me ask you a question before I answer yours." I nodded, permitting him. "After what you know Kuwabara's mind has undergone today, do you really think watching over a dying Hiei alone would be the wisest course of action for him?"

I nodded, understanding Kurama's point. "I see. So you planned to let Kuwabara sleep through his shift. But here's my question, were you going to let me sleep through mine?"

Kurama looked thoughtful at my question. "I don't know." His reply was honest. "It would depend on how I felt. Most likely no, and certainly not for the same reasons I did Kuwabara."

"Good," I said seriously. "Because if you had, I would have murdered you tomorrow." I shook my head. "Damn, Kurama. How many times do I have to remind you that you're not immortal?"

"Probably several more." His nonchalance did not surprise me.

"Let's hope you are around that long. Damn, Kurama – just damn. You really do worry me sometimes. Even more than Hiei does."

Green eyes grew sharper. "Well, for that I am sorry." His apology was sincere. "But honestly, Yusuke. I'm the last person you need to worry about."

I gave him a level look. "Yeah, I thought the same thing about Hiei."

Silence reigned over the campsite. My claim had been slightly unfair but, at the same time, horribly true. I had trusted Hiei to take care of himself, and that trust was what had nearly killed my friend. My eyes glanced at Hiei's battered body. I wasn't going to let that happen to another friend.

Seeing Hiei lying there, bandaged in every place accessible, made me wonder something, and so I directed the question at the one person who would know. "How long?" I asked Kurama. My breath made little clouds of smoke in the chilly night air.

He sighed deeply, his breath in the chilly air forming a soft white cloud surrounding his lips. "What are you asking? How long Hiei has? Or how long till we get back?"

"The second."

Kurama sighed once more. "Another day at the very least. Hiei's wounds are better now that he is resting. However, once we move again, the jolting will reopen any of them I've managed to close." Kurama sounded weary.

It was as I expected. "I see. So what you're saying is that we have two options. One, we move at a snail's pace and keep Hiei's wounds from reopening even though most of them require more healing than we can give. Or option two, we fly and hope to god that he doesn't get any worse?"

"Exactly," Kurama agreed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Then he looked at me, weakness shining in his green eyes. "I do not have a definite answer for you, Yusuke."

I nodded. Then in a near whisper whisper, I asked, "How long does he have?"

Kurama turned his head away and let his hand trail over Hiei's arm. I could not tell exactly what he was doing. From the look of things, he appeared to be checking for broken bones, but maybe he was just trying to make sure Hiei was still really there. "He will be dead in two days if he doesn't get treatment."

That was all the answer I needed. "Get some sleep, Kurama," I ordered as I physically took Kurama's place by pulling the red-haired man to his feet and sitting in the vacant spot. "You'll need it tomorrow."

Kurama didn't answer. He merely headed silently over to my still-warm blankets and curled up inside of them. The hours past slowly, and I remained constantly at Hiei's side. Save one or two instances where I had to retrieve more firewood from my extensive stack, my attention never drifted from my injured friend or from the pain he must have endured.

It made me wonder. Was this some kind of test I had to undergo? Some pre-salvation that I was forced to suffer through in order to attain true happiness? Was I going to have to watch as one of my friends died? Had I had the energy to be angry, I would have been. But as things were now, I was cold both physically and mentally. I had seen so much now that it no longer mattered to me anymore.

The sun rose the next morning – constant, just like it always did. But something inside of me had changed last night. I was prepared now for the worst. Last night's thoughts had prepared me for Hiei's death, if it came. Even if everyone else grieved around me, I would not because last night I had realized the truth. This was all just one big test, and when I passed it, I could be with my friends again. I could be with them in a world without suffering or pain. I felt freer than I had in a long time.

"Urameshi." Kuwabara's voice was stilled tinged with traces of sleepiness. "What's the plan for today?"

I glanced back at the red-head. "We're going as fast as we can, no stops. Not unless we have to." The two of them nodded, and after I had collected Hiei's body and slipped him on my back, we set off.

Our pace was twice what it had been the day before, but I never ordered the stop. For some reason, I knew that if I did, Hiei would die. Instead, I pushed us to our very limits. We traveled at the maximum speed we could, with Kuwabara toting the packs, Kurama leading the way, and myself with Hiei on my back. It was harder than I thought it would be, and Hiei was not helping matters. Perhaps he could sense the rushed speed or maybe it was just that he was in enough pain even in his sleep, but the soft whimpering sounds that came from his throat were tearing through my barriers.

Perhaps I should have ordered a rest. Perhaps we should have stopped. I do not know. All I knew was that I wanted to get him to someone who could help him, even if that meant enduring the horrible, weak cries he made.

We did arrive back at Izumi's camp – completely out of breath, our bodies trembling from exertion. When I looked up I saw her standing there, as though to meet us.

"Yusuke Urameshi," she said my name like it was a greeting. She looked over my shoulder at Hiei. "I see you got what you came for." I nodded, unable to say much of anything else through my panting. "Good." Izumi's eyes flashed. "Give him to your friends to take back to your world. You are requested."

That got my attention. I straightened my shoulders and looked at her warily. "What am I requested for?" I managed to say without sounding too breathless.

"Mana wishes to speak with you," Izumi said, her eyes fixed on mine. "She wanted to talk to you before you left to find him." A finger jabbed in Hiei's direction. "But I convinced her you would see her as soon as you got back." Izumi's eyes darkened. "I helped you once already, Yusuke. Now you need to hold up to what I said."

I shook my head. "I promise to hold up to that. However, right now, I need to take Hiei back to our compound. Look at him, Izumi. I'm sure you can smell it, but he's dying!" I was angry, but I was controlling myself and for once not yelling so the whole camp could hear.

I expected Izumi to get angry. What I didn't expect was for another voice, this one still feminine although far more sinister than Izumi's, to rise above the din. "Yusuke, I think we all understand what you want." I turned to see a woman, lean and pale, with jade-colored hair standing behind me. Her jet black robes swayed in an ominous breeze. The robes were decorated with distorted shadows cast off from paper lanterns, which her two guards held on each side of her. "The point dear Izumi is trying to make is that I don't care. I have something important to discuss with you. Now have your dear friends take that fire demon home. They will manage it on their own."

"Do you not trust us? Perhaps that's why you want Yusuke alone?" Kurama asked his eyes watching Mana closely.

Mana smiled at us through her curtain of blue-green hair. Her cerulean eyes fixed on us and, with an unnerving smile, she replied, "If I didn't, you would have been dead a long time ago." Suddenly, three cloaked guards appeared from the shadows, each one positioning a knife at our necks. Izumi glanced back subconsciously to check for a guard, even though we knew there was not one. Mana smiled wickedly. "No, you are more use alive." Instantly, the guards disappeared, but Mana's threat, like the knife nicks on our throats, lingered.

Of all the demons I met the night new leaders were established, Mana had been the only one I had actually been wary of being near. There was something about her that alluded to danger, and it frankly scared me. I had asked Kurama about it once, surely he of all people would know something about her.

He did not. Kurama told me he had never heard of her, but he too admitted his wariness at getting too close to her.

_Proximity is something that is won with trust,_ he had said, _and trust is gained through knowing someone. I have neither trust nor knowledge of her. Therefore, I keep my distance, and advise you too do the same._

I had adhered to Kurama's advice for most of my pre-adult and adult life. He was my guide, having been alive a few thousand more years than I. So I thought this was a fairly decent strategy. However, now I was going into uncharted waters for the first time. "Kurama." My voice was hollow. "I need you to help Kuwabara and get Hiei home."

Kurama glanced at me. I could see him wondering if I had seriously lost my mind. "Yusuke," he began.

I shook my head, not looking at him. "I've got this. Just go." My voice sounded far calmer than I felt. But I was grateful, so long as Hiei got back safely, everything would be okay. Kurama sighed and came to take the injured fire demon from my back.

They were just about to leave when Kurama turned back to me. "Remember what I told you, Yusuke," Kurama said softly but meaningfully. Then, with Hiei cradled in his arms, he and Kuwabara took their leave.

Once they had gone, Mana looked at me. "He doesn't trust me, and neither do you."

I didn't know how to explain to her how accurate she was. So instead, I shrugged. "Perhaps. Now, what do you have to tell me?"

Mana smiled. "Nothing to tell you." She shook her head. "But a lot to show. Follow me." Her thin fingers beckoned me to follow her, which I did. As we walked through the maze of tents which, in my opinion all looked identical, I felt my legs start to seize up. It was the first time I realized how seriously the run had weakened me. Trying to push the terrifying idea aside, I focused my attention on Mana, who had thankful stopped in front of one of the tents. Standing in front of the flap, she said, "This will be surprising."

I did not believe her. I thought nothing more could surprise me today. I was wrong. As soon as I entered the tent, my eyes took a few moments to adjust to the darkness. However, once they had, my heart stopped.

"Impossible! No! He's dead!"

I could not believe what I saw before my eyes because, to be perfectly honest, I thought there was no way I could be seeing what I was. I had seen the ruins and the destruction. I had found that broken pacifier years ago. Nevertheless, the body in front of me could be no one else. Koenma lay before me and, though his eyes were shut tightly, I could see the rise and fall of his chest. He was alive.

**Back at the Compound…**

A red ball rounded the corner of the hallway and bounced lightly down the corridor until it met a flight of stairs. There, it plunged downward and hit each step on its way. A little girl followed the errant ball, singing softly as she went.

"_Where my ball, my red ball, my red ball? Where's my ball?" _She could not have been more than six by her tiny frame and even that was pushing it. She continued her tune, now skipping lightly, until she came to the steps.

She peered down them and, in a high and childish voice, asked, "Red ball, are you down there?"

The ball did not answer. But the child did not mind. Instead, she awkwardly climbed down the stairs. It was a hard thing for child of six to manage, as there was neither railing nor definite placement for her feet, but she did it with little fuss. Once at the base, the girl saw her ball bouncing happily away from her.

"Red ball," she called after it and hurried to follow. She traipsed after it for a long time, until suddenly it hit a wall and bounced backwards a few inches. The little girl rushed forward to grasp it, and hugging it to her chest. Then she attempted to turn around.

However, while she had been preoccupied with the ball, another had seen her. As she had bent to retrieve her red ball, hands had reached out for her and wrapped her in their embrace. The child tried to look at her capture. A scream tore from the child's lips, instantly silence by a gnarled hand. The ball dropped and bounced away, and the child was pulled into the midnight shadows. At first thrashing could be heard, but it died away, and all that was left was the now still, red ball.

**You like? Okay you know the drill. Review if you want more. Review if you liked it. Review it you didn't like it …. Review is the operative word here. :) Thanks!**

**Kuramagal**


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